Ja’Marr Chase Allays Injury Concerns After Knee Hyperextension at Bengals Practice

CINCINNATI — Cincinnati Bengals star wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase said he is fine after a left knee injury forced him to leave practice early on Tuesday.

Chase went down while attempting to haul in a deep pass down the right sideline. After a few anxious moments, the two-time All-Pro rose to his feet and limped off the field under his own power. He underwent a brief evaluation from head trainer Matt Summers before returning to the sideline to observe the remainder of the session.

Chase described the injury as a hyperextension but insisted it is not serious.

“I was trying to go practice today,” Chase said. “I was trying to get back in, y’all. I promise.”

The receiver said the coaching and medical staff will determine his workload for the remainder of the preseason. Cincinnati has one exhibition game remaining, a road contest against the Philadelphia Eagles on Friday. The Bengals held their starters out of their second preseason game, a victory over the Chicago Bears.

Training camp has been relatively healthy for Cincinnati overall. Safety Bryan Cook and cornerback Dax Hill have been managing soft-tissue issues, while defensive end Shemar Stewart avoided a serious injury after hyperextending his left knee on the first day of camp. Cook returned to team drills Tuesday, while Hill continued rehabilitation work and Stewart has progressed ahead of the Sept. 13 season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Chase was unsure exactly how the injury occurred. He was matched up against cornerback DJ Turner II and adjusting to a deep throw from quarterback Joe Burrow, suggesting a bad step may have caused his knee to buckle slightly.

Turner immediately checked on his teammate.

“I was just trying to make sure he was good,” Turner said after practice. “The next play, nothing like that matters at all at that point.”

Since being selected fifth overall in the 2021 NFL Draft, Chase has been a cornerstone of Cincinnati’s offense. He has earned Pro Bowl honors in each of his professional seasons, captured the receiving triple crown in 2024 by leading the league in yards, receptions, and touchdowns, and has collected back-to-back All-Pro selections.

Before the 2025 season, Chase signed a four-year, $161 million contract extension that carries the second-highest average annual value among wide receivers, per OverTheCap.com. He enters the current campaign ranked fourth in franchise history in receptions (520) and fifth in receiving yards (6,837).

As practice continued Tuesday, the initial tension surrounding the team’s top offensive weapon dissipated. Fellow wide receiver Tee Higgins removed his pads and joined Chase on the sideline for what he termed a veteran rest day. Defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II also stopped by to chat during a break, sharing a laugh with Chase.

It was a far cry from the worst-case scenario. When asked where Chase ranks among players the Bengals can least afford to lose, Turner smiled broadly.

“You can answer that question,” Turner said. “You know we can’t lose him.”

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