The Bengals practiced in helmets for the first time this spring on Tuesday to begin the final phase of their spring voluntary workouts, and All-Pro wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase chose the day to meet the press for the first time since he signed his record deal back in March.

Maybe it's because he feels like this:

"I always looked at myself as a leader. Not verbally. Through my actions, I hold people accountable. I speak up if I have to. It's a little more obvious that I have to be a captain this year. Doing the deal and stuff, but still play my role. I don't talk as much, but I speak up when I have to."

Chase is getting an early start. On Tuesday, the first day the offense went against the defense in seven-on-seven, Chase and wide receiver Tee Higgins once hung out on the sidelines with the defensive backs after their reps instead of up the field grouped around the huddle with the offense.

"I feel just them having a new defense and me seeing old tendencies and new tendencies, I might see something and help them with it," Chase said. "I feel like they can do the same with me. I do that. Just to tell them, I'm seeing this, don't do it. Small things like that.

Jump to a story section:

Silent Auction

This is about the time of year Chase starts to think about his goals for the season so he can have them in time to write on his mirror for training camp.

Two problems.

He says he won't go public with them and, two, what goals are there after becoming the third receiver this century last year to win a Triple Crown?

"I know you want to know because I did the most absurd BS last year," Chase said. "What's left? That's my question mark, too."

One goal he clearly won't have is being recognized as the top receiver in the league.

"If you're an athlete, you know it's political growing up as a kid, and you have no control over that. I still think it's political," Chase said. "I really don't care what people say or think. I know I'm one of the best in the league. Everyone else knows it. I don't have to say it. To be heard. I know for a fact."

Fast Start

Chase wants no part of playing in the preseason "If it was up to me." Before his record-breaking rookie year in 2021, when the Bengals started 3-1, he and the starters played just three snaps in August. Two runs and a badly mangled screen pass to him that went incomplete. He hasn't taken a preseason snap since.

"You don't feel ready mentally for a game like that. For me, I don't think I do," Chase said.

Although when he was reminded that no starters took any snaps at all during the '22 and '23 preseasons when they started 0-2, and then they took some in 2024 when they also started 0-2, he's not too sure what is tied into a fast start and what isn't.

But he knows that he and Higgins haven't been here this early together playing catch with Joe Burrow in three years, and he thinks that may be what they need, and saluted management for getting his receivers extended.

"I don't know how we start fast," Chase said. "They paid me and Tee, hopefully that's the starting fast move right there … Having everyone here again with the opportunity to work with Joe again, getting established with our offense helps us move around, learn more seeing a new defense every day, I think that's pretty cool. That should get us better, getting back early and working.

"It shows that they care. Shows that they want to have the offense together. Keep this group together. They want us to excel from it. They see the potential that we all have and want to capitalize."

Chase Vs. Jefferson, Part II

The two times the two best receivers in the world have met, Chase has overtime wins over the Vikings, although Jefferson has ten more yards. On Sept. 21 in Minnesota, they go again in what is now a much more mature relationship.

"I don't have a matchup with him. I'm not checking that guy. We play the same spot, brother," said Chase, who says he'll look, but it's no longer about stats when they play. "We're past that now. We're so past that. We're too old for that. We don't have time to be doing that. That's childish.

"I think it will just be fun to go against him again. It's been a thrill for both of us playing each other, getting excited knowing we're both going to put on a show."

Slants and Screens

Burrow is all in for NFL players competing in flag football at the 2028 Olympics. But Chase has a lot of questions.

"Ha ha. I knew this question was coming," Chase said. "I want to know the timing for us. In season? Offseason? I want to know if we're getting paid. I want to know if we're traveling every week or every day. Because we have an offseason. We have a life. How long would that be?"

Chase admits "it sounds cool." But one of the reasons he's "not 100% on it," is because the flag game at the Pro Bowl says it all.

"Listen. Pro Bowl. All-Pros," Chase said. "Playing in the Olympics, I'm not saying they're not pros. But they're not the same people we're seeing every day. That's a big difference." …

Count Chase in the same group with Burrow and head coach Zac Taylor who are encouraged by the play of wide receiver Jermaine Burton in his second NFL spring.

"He's getting better. Definitely improving," Chase said. "He's faster lining up. Playing with more speed. When you don't know what you're doing, you don't play as fast. He's playing a little faster now." …