Ja’Marr Chase (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

An enticing trade proposal has the Cincinnati Bengals sending superstar wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase to a heated rival in a move that would completely alter the NFL landscape.

Ja’Marr Chase is in a contract holdout with the hopes of landing a new deal before the start of the 2024 regular season. The 2021 first-round pick has two years remaining on his rookie deal and is eligible for an extension.

Chase hasn’t outright requested a trade from the Bengals, but de facto GM Duke Tobin may have no choice but to move his star pass-catcher if the two sides cannot agree on an extension. Not to mention that Cincinnati would receive a king’s ransom in return for the LSU product.

Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay proposed a blockbuster trade idea that would have Cincinnati dealing Ja’Marr Chase to the archrival Cleveland Browns in exchange for fellow Pro Bowl wideout Amari Cooper plus 2025 first and fourth-round picks:

“At a minimum, the Browns would need to add a first-round pick in the package. It certainly wouldn’t hurt to keep Cooper in there as well, as his presence would at least slightly offset the blow of losing Chase in the near-term.

Throw in a late-Day 2 or early-Day 3 pick and you have a pretty strong starting point for a Chase deal. It’s still not a trade the Bengals should want to make, but if they simply can’t come to terms on a suitable extension for the fourth-year superstar, it may be the best route to take.”

 

If the Bengals shopped Ja’Marr Chase, they would obviously prefer not to deal him to a rival team like Cleveland. But Kay’s proposal would be more than fair for Cincinnati, who would acquire a consistent 1,000-yard receiver in Cooper plus a first-round pick.

Chase isn’t the only superstar WR looking for a new deal ahead of Week 1. CeeDee Lamb of the Dallas Cowboys is also holding out, and San Francisco 49ers star Brandon Aiyuk remains the subject of trade rumors as the two sides try to finalize an extension.

Bengals Need To Pay Ja’Marr Chase

There’s a case to be made that after Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings, Chase is the best wide receiver in football. He and Joe Burrow are the best QB-WR tandem in football, so Cincinnati’s best bet is to pay Chase what he’s worth.

After three decades of mediocrity, the Bengals have emerged as a Super Bowl contender with Burrow and Chase. So at the end of the day, it’s imperative for both sides to continue this partnership and reach an agreement on a long-term extension.