Bengals' Ja'Marr Chase puts drama behind, 'having fun again'

CINCINNATI -- The months leading up to this season were anything but normal and peaceful for Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase.

Chase did not participate in any training camp practices as he tried to get a contract extension that never materialized. So when he caught his first touchdown of the season last Monday in a loss to the  Washington Commanders, Chase said it provided a sense of relief.

And he's back to enjoying the game.

"All this BS that was going on this offseason and prior to the season, I'm just happy that it's over with," Chase said Thursday. "I'm finally playing ball and having fun with the guys. That's what matters most for me."

Chase said he is feeling "great" despite dealing with a shoulder injury. He was estimated to have been a limited participant Wednesday if the team had practiced instead of holding a walk-through. But on Thursday, he was a full participant as Cincinnati prepared for a road game against the Carolina Panthers (1-2).

A three-time Pro Bowler, Chase is coming off his best performance of the season in the 38-33 defeat at home to the Commanders, a loss that dropped the Bengals to 0-3. He caught six passes on seven targets for 128 yards and two touchdowns, his most productive outing since Week 13 of last season.

It was a vastly different outing than the first two games of the season, when he was working his way back into the lineup following a hectic training camp. Despite months of negotiations, Chase and the Bengals failed to reach a deal before the start of the season, which served as a soft deadline to reach a new deal.

Chase said playing simply felt like a job in the opening weeks, which included losses to the New England Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs.

But all it took was a big play and a big game to snap out of the funk. Cincinnati is hoping the same thing happens to the team. The Bengals are off to their worst start since 2019, when they lost their first 11 games of the season and finished with the league's worst record.

Chase said the team needs a win against Carolina "a thousand percent." The Bengals are already in rough enough shape. Only six teams in the Super Bowl era have lost the first three games of the season and made the playoffs, according to ESPN Research.

The Bengals have dropped their first three games by a combined 12 points. Chase said he believes they are on the cusp of landing that first victory.

"We're right there," Chase said. "We're not too far away. We just got to finish in the end, and that's the biggest thing right now."