Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase is dealing with a separated shoulder and was initially expected to miss some time, but head coach Zac Taylor isn’t ready to make any decisions just yet.
On Tuesday, Taylor told reporters that it’s too soon to rule Chase out for the team’s Week 16 meeting with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
“We’ll see how the week goes,” Taylor said, via Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk.
Chase suffered the injury during the fourth quarter of the Bengals’ win over the Minnesota Vikings this past Saturday. He logged four catches for 64 yards in the victory.
On the season overall, Chase has hauled in 93 receptions for 1,156 yards and seven touchdowns.
The 23-year-old, who played his collegiate football at LSU, was selected by Cincinnati with the fifth overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft.
He enjoyed a spectacular rookie campaign, playing in every game and catching 81 passes for 1,455 yards and 13 scores. The following year, injuries limited Chase to 12 contests, but he still managed to snare 87 balls for 1,046 yards while reaching the end zone nine times when he was on the field.
Chase has made the Pro Bowl in each of his first two seasons.
The Bengals have certainly been hit severely by the injury bug this year, as quarterback Joe Burrow is out for the season due to a wrist injury. He was also clearly limited by a calf issue earlier in the campaign.
Losing Ja’Marr Chase for any period of time could end up being a death blow to Cincy’s playoff hopes.
As of right now, the Bengals are 8-6 and hold the second Wild Card spot in the AFC due to tiebreakers. However, their playoff positioning is very fragile, and they may very well have to win out in order to qualify for the postseason.
After battling the Steelers in Pittsburgh this weekend, Cincinnati take on the Kansas City Chiefs and Cleveland Browns to close out the regular season.
The Bengals are aiming to make their third straight playoff appearance.
Want the latest NFL analysis, breaking news, and insider information? Click here. Interested in reading storylines and analysis about the NBA? Check out our partner NBA Analysis Network.
