Ja’Marr Chase was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals with the No. 5 pick in the 2021 NFL draft. Last week I explained why Chase was one of the best WR prospects ever. What does his arrival in Cincinnati mean for the Bengals?
With the pick, the Bengals not only give 2020’s No. 1 pick Joe Burrow an additional weapon, but also reunite him with his former teammate. They also reunite Chase with the quarterback that enabled him to put up one of the most ridiculous true sophomore seasons we’ve ever seen.
While Chase will compete with Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd for targets, he’s got a decent chance to earn significant targets early in his rookie season. We might hope for more available opportunity, but recall that in Burrow’s healthy games, only two teams ran more passing plays per 60 minutes.
With this pick, Cincinnati redoubles their commitment to letting Burrow throw the ball a lot in 2021. Given the weapons at his disposal, the Bengals could end up with one of the more efficient passing offenses in the league, and Chase would be a direct beneficiary.
Chase’s post-draft Box Score Scout comps don’t change dramatically, but some very interesting names pop up:
