CINCINNATI — Ja'Marr Chase is halting contract negotiations for the rest of the season, according to a report from ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Schefter said the Bengals No. 1 receiver has no plans to negotiate a long-term deal after it didn't happen in the offseason.
"According to sources, the star wide receiver believes the Bengals misled him when they told him at the end of last season, and again during the offseason, he would get an extension that ultimately did not happen," Schefter wrote.
Outside of negotiations, Schefter also reported that Chase took out a $50 million insurance policy on himself for the 2024 season to safeguard against injuries.
Despite being a "hold-in" for most of the preseason, Chase played against the Kansas City Chiefs and was active Week 1 against the New England Patriots.
According to Schefter's sources, Chase's representatives threatened that he'd sit out against the Patriots and Chiefs, but Chase eventually stepped in and said he'd play with or without a deal set.
With two years remaining on his rookie contract, Chase has made it clear he wants to be one of the highest-paid receivers in the NFL.
Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson, one of Chase’s teammates at LSU, set the standard for receivers when he signed a four-year, $140 million deal. More recently, Cowboys receiver CeeDee Lamb signed a four-year, $136 million extension.
Prior to the start of the season, Chase's reps and the Bengals couldn't work out the structure of the deal and the payout of the money, Schefter reported.
