An awkward landing sent the Bengals' star wide receiver to the sideline, immediately raising concerns in Cincinnati.
An uneasy feeling spread through the Cincinnati Bengals community Tuesday afternoon when video surfaced of Ja’Marr Chase hobbling off the field during practice.
Chase landed awkwardly after going up for a deep ball from Joe Burrow against D.J. Turner II and stayed on the ground for a moment before favoring his left leg on his way to the sideline. Trainers quickly attended to the wide receiver, and he was seen walking around and working out that left knee for the rest of the afternoon.
Returning to practice was out of the question, but Chase did not require additional treatment while practice continued. He stayed around the huddle and moved around the field, signaling that the news to come likely wouldn’t be devastating.
And luckily, it wasn’t.
Chase spoke to reporters following the conclusion of the Bengals’ practice, and he was itching to get back on the field. He tried to get right back in there, but the training staff shut him down for the rest of the day. If it were a game, he said he would have been right back out there.
It is a slight hyperextension of the left knee, according to Chase, who said he messed up his footing as the ball was in the air, which led to a tweak on the landing. He said there was a sense of uncertainty for a while after the injury, but once he was able to walk on it without a problem, Cincinnati’s star wideout knew he was going to be OK.
Dan Hoard reported that one of the Bengals’ coaches knew Chase was good once he started chirping at the defense while on the sideline.
Teammates, coaches and fans from all around the country can collectively let out a sigh of relief, as it looks like Chase avoided a major injury. The Bengals haven’t really seen a fully healthy offense of Burrow, Chase, Tee Higgins and Chase Brown besides a couple of weeks in the back end of last season. For a team with high expectations, having those four on the field together for Week 1 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is crucial.
It would have been devastating to lose Chase in a year when Burrow has openly stated that this season is boom or bust for Cincinnati. For now, the Bengals have dodged losing one of the best wide receivers in the NFL for a long period of time, but the fallout of the hyperextension should still be something to monitor as the regular season approaches.
