By his own admission, Cincinnati Bengals rookie wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase did not have a strong preseason. The No. 5 overall pick in this year’s draft struggled with drops throughout the summer.
“I know I left a lot of stuff out there,” Chase said, via ESPN’s Ben Baby. “But that’s all in time for me to get better, of course. I’m not afraid to get better. That’s what I’m here for — to work, to get better, make the team better, make the organization better.”
During exhibition games, Chase was targeted five times. He caught one pass–and dropped the other four.
The 2019 Biletnikoff Award winner even dropped an easy screen pass on Joe Burrow’s only attempt of the preseason. He blamed the miscue on a lack of concentration.
“If you look back at it, I jumped in the air when the ball got to me,” Chase said. “That means my eyes weren’t concentrated on the ball. I didn’t keep still. So that makes my eye adjustment for the ball move around.”
Any concerns Bengals fans have had about Chase will be alleviated if he goes out there in the regular season and performs well. But if the drops continue to be an issue, it is going to be a nagging storyline for as long he continues to struggle.
Cincinnati opens its 2021 season on Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings.
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