Chase will have to pay $4.86 million in 2024, which is unbearably low for a wideout of his caliber. In the fifth year of his contract, that number increases to $21.816 million. With no deal happening this year, the storyline will restart in the offseason.

Chase sat out training camp to get a new contract, but it never materialized. The will-he-or-won’t-he practice situations loomed over the entire Bengals camp.

The lack of time seemed to affect Chase’s production early in the season. He opened the year with six catches for 62 yards and posted a 4/35/0 line in Week 2 against Kansas City.

In Week 3, Chase finally looked more like his big self, recording six catches for 118 yards and two touchdowns. It helped that Tee Higgins was back in the lineup to draw some attention.

The Bengals offense picked up steam again against the Commanders. However, Cincy still fell to 0-3. The march to do something only four of 162 previous 0-3 clubs have done and reach the postseason begins this Sunday in Carolina against Andy Dalton’s Panthers.

“We’re right there,” Chase said. “We’re not too far away anymore. In the end we just have to finish and that’s the biggest thing at the moment.”