The drama continues for the Bengals and receiver Ja’Marr Chase.
Once again, Chase is not practicing on Thursday, according to multiple reporters on the scene.
Chase came onto the field in street clothes as the team was going through drills early on in the session.
Things between the Bengals and Chase seemed alright earlier in the week, as head coach Zac Taylor said he was confident the receiver would play Week 1 after he’d returned to practice. But then that changed on Wednesday, as Chase was once again sitting out — just as he had throughout training camp.
It’s not unclear whether or not Chase is going to play in the season opener against the Patriots.
Taylor said before practice that he “wasn’t going to make any predictions” about whether or not Chase would be on the field, acknowledging it would likely be a similar outcome to Wednesday. But Taylor also noted that Chase has been on top of things in the building.
“He’s been in every meeting,” Taylor said. “So, he knows everything. He’s been in the system for the three years he played in it, a fourth year now. So, again, he knows everything.”
Taylor also noted that the Chase situation has not made things too much more difficult when it comes to getting ready for the season.
“In this league, every week there’s a form of adversity and you’ve got to find the positives in it,” Taylor said. “Our team has found the positives in it and is able to support a teammate, find positives for other teammates, and continue to move forward. Again, you can’t waste a day complaining about a situation. You’ve just got to make the most of it and keep it moving. And that’s what our guys have done. Again, we’re all on the same page. We’re all on board with this thing. So, just excited to get to game week.”