CINCINNATI -- The Cincinnati Bengals made perhaps the easiest decision it'll have all week, picking up the fifth-year option on wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase's rookie deal.
The deal, announced one day before the NFL draft, ensures Chase's fifth-year salary for the 2025 season will be fully guaranteed. The option year will carry an estimated value of $21.8 million, according to a projection from OverTheCap.com.
Chase, the fifth overall pick in the 2021 draft, has not only proved that Cincinnati made the right choice in pairing him with Joe Burrow, his college quarterback at LSU, but also that Chase is among the league's best receivers.