Ja'Marr Chase returns to practice: A glimmer of hope for the Bengals

For the first time this season, Ja'Marr Chase has returned to the Cincinnati Bengals' practice. The team's wide receiver had been observing from the sidelines as he negotiated a contract extension with the team. The only exception was one practice session he missed entirely. On Sunday, after the close of the preseason, Chase stepped back onto the field and fully participated in practice. According to insider information from The Athletic, it is expected that he will train throughout the week. The Bengals also posted a photo of Chase practicing on the social media platform X. In recent weeks, Chase had been conducting throwing sessions outside of official practice times, either in the indoor facility after official practice or on the field before practice. However, this was his first full team participation. With exactly two weeks until the season opener against the New England Patriots, Chase now has ample time to get into playing condition. Chase still has two years remaining on his rookie contract, and the club has exercised the fifth-year option for the 2025 season. Bengals President Mike Brown emphasized before the start of training camp that the team would do everything to retain Chase. However, this might not be the best time for contract negotiations. Except for Joe Burrow last year, whose contract shattered all previous Bengals precedents, Cincinnati has never extended a first-round pick before their fourth year.