It was a weekend of surprises for a lot of Cincinnati Bengals fans, and none of them were pleasant. Many in WhoDey Nation were shocked to see their team fail to reach an agreement with Ja'Marr Chase for a record-breaking contract extension. The star wide receiver played in Sunday's season opener against the New England Patriots, but the result produced a stunning NFL Week 1 upset.
With Chase's contract situation still up in the air, BetOhio has now updated its odds on when the Bengals will reach an agreement with the former LSU standout. As a reminder, these odds are for entertainment purposes only. You will not find them at any licensed Ohio sports betting operator.
Ja’Marr Chase Contract Extension Odds
Extension Timeframe | Odds | Percent Chance |
During Regular Season | +100 | 50.0% |
After Regular Season | +150 | 40.0% |
The Field | +900 | 10.0% |
Despite being the biggest Week 1 favorite in the league, the Bengals struggled on offense and surprisingly lost to the Patriots on Sunday, 16-10.
Chase played despite being listed as questionable as late as Saturday with what he called a bout of food poisoning. He was targeted just six times, but he caught all of those for a total of 62 yards. The lack of opportunities did not sit well with the fourth-year receiver, as he told reporters after that they'd need to talk to the coaching staff to figure out why he wasn't targeted more. We’ll see how much the loss might dent the Cincinnati Bengals playoff chances.
Upon reviewing game film, some NFL analysts pointed to the ultra-cautious play by quarterback Joe Burrow as the main reason for the stagnant offense. Burrow, coming back from a wrist injury that ended his 2023 season prematurely, kept most of his passes short. That was despite his offensive line providing solid protection throughout the contest.
Bengals analyst Joe Goodberry posted a video on his X account of the Bengals' final offensive play as proof of Burrow's conservative approach. On third and 10 from the Bengals’ 10 late in the fourth quarter, the play called for Chase and Andrei Iosivas to run double-route fly patterns. It appeared that they both beat the single corners defending them, but Burrow dumped the pass off to Zack Moss for a 5-yard gain.
The Bengals punted and the Patriots ran out the clock, so a lot of backers at Ohio sportsbook apps didn’t even cash on a Bengals moneyline bet.
After losing as big favorites in Week 1, the Bengals find themselves now as one of the bigger underdogs heading into a Week 2 showdown against the Kansas City Chiefs. According to ESPN BET, the Chiefs are a six-point home favorite against the Bengals. Sunday's game will be the sixth time the two teams have met since December 2021, including two AFC Championship Games.
See Bengals vs. Chiefs odds to track any line movement for Sunday’s game.
Why There's Still A Chance For A Deal
While the sides apparently set a Week 1 deadline to reach an agreement, we at BetOhio think there's still a chance something might happen soon. Media reports indicated both sides were close to terms on an extension, and the Bengals might prefer to get something done now. If they wait until the next offseason, Chase's asking price could go up.
Even with the Bengals' surprise loss in the regular season opener, Chase's odds for Offensive Player of the Year honors did not lengthen considerably. Oddsmakers at Fanatics Ohio Sportsbook price Chase at +1800 to win the honor this season. That's the sixth-shortest price on its futures board, with New York Jets running back Breece Hall and Los Angeles Rams receiver Cooper Kupp also priced at +1800. Miami receiver Tyreek Hill is the current favorite at +500.
If the Bengals lose in Kansas City, don't expect Chase's odds – or the Bengals', for that matter – to drop significantly. The Bengals have started 0-2 in each of the past two seasons. Despite that, they still won the AFC North in 2022 and were in the hunt for a playoff spot until late December last year, even with Burrow suffering a season-ending injury in November.
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USA Today photo by Katie Stratman
