The Cincinnati Bengals are sick of stumbling out of the gate, and Ja’Marr Chase is ready to do something about it—even if it means lacing up for those usually skippable August exhibition games. The star wideout, fresh off signing a massive four-year, $161 million deal that makes him the NFL’s highest-paid non-quarterback by average annual value, isn’t here to repeat the Bengals’ early-season flops. After going 0-6 in Weeks 1-2 over the last three seasons, Chase is open to playing in the preseason to shake off the rust and get Cincinnati rolling from the jump. For more on Chase’s career stats, check the sports card above.
“We sound like we need to play in the preseason,” Chase said Tuesday, per the Associated Press, and you can feel the urgency in his words. The Bengals’ slow starts have been a gut punch. Since 2022, they’ve dropped every single game in the first two weeks, including brutal losses to Pittsburgh and Baltimore in 2023 and 2024 that left them playing catch-up. Sure, they rebounded in 2022 to go 12-4 and reach the AFC Championship, but the last two years? A pair of 9-8 seasons that had them one win shy of the playoffs. Flip just one of those early Ls to a W, and Cincy’s likely back in the postseason mix.
The numbers tell the story, especially for Joe Burrow. In Weeks 1-2 across his five-year career, the 2020 No. 1 pick is a grim 1-9, completing 63.4% of his passes (241-of-380) for 2,240 yards (224 per game), 14 touchdowns, and nine picks. Factor in sacks and rushes, and he’s averaging 216.9 yards per game on 45.6 dropbacks—a measly 4.8 yards per dropback. Compare that to the rest of the season, where Burrow’s a different beast: 69.5% completion, 284.1 yards per game, 2.1 touchdowns, and just 0.6 interceptions, with 276.6 yards per game on 42.6 dropbacks (6.5 yards per dropback). The guy’s a superstar once he finds his groove, but those early stumbles are killing the Bengals’ vibe.
Chase and Burrow, the former LSU duo that’s been torching defenses since their college days, know they don’t need much to click. Their chemistry is electric—think 2021, when Chase’s rookie year saw him haul in 81 catches for 1,455 yards and 13 touchdowns, many on Burrow’s dimes. But sitting out the preseason hasn’t done them any favors. Burrow took just 13 snaps last summer, while Chase hasn’t played a preseason snap since his rookie year. The result? Sloppy starts that leave Cincinnati digging out of a hole. “If we can iron out the kinks when the results don’t matter,” Chase seems to be saying, “we won’t be sweating in September.”
The Bengals’ 2025 schedule doesn’t let up early, with a Week 1 clash against the Patriots and a Week 2 showdown at Kansas City. Dropping those could bury them in the brutal AFC North. X users are buzzing about Chase’s comments, with some fans hyped—“Ja’Marr playing preseason? That’s a game-changer!”—while others are skeptical, pointing out that preseason reps didn’t help much in past years. One post summed it up: “Burrow and Chase don’t need warm-ups—they just need to stop throwing picks in Week 1.”
Cincinnati’s got the talent to make a playoff run. Chase is a certified stud, with 1,216 yards and nine touchdowns in 2024 despite the team’s struggles. Burrow, when healthy, is a top-five QB. Add in Tee Higgins and a revamped defense, and this team’s built to contend. But those 0-2 starts have been a dagger, costing them momentum and, in the last two years, a postseason berth. If Chase and Burrow use the preseason to fine-tune their connection—think quick slants to Chase or deep balls to Higgins—they could hit the ground running and avoid another September slump.
The NFL preseason often feels like a snooze-fest, but for the Bengals, it might just be the secret sauce to finally breaking through. If Chase is willing to suit up in August to get the offense humming, that’s a sign this team’s done playing catch-up. With a loaded roster and a fanbase starving for a playoff return, Cincinnati’s ready to flip the script—and it might just start with a few extra snaps under the summer lights.
