Rookie WR coming along slower than hoped early in camp
A thought existed that Ja’Marr Chase could walk on to the Paul Brown Stadium practice fields and dominate from the first snap. His skill set is that unique. You see flashes of that early, but you also see somebody tentatively getting used to a new offense, new league and not playing football since January 2020. He has endured a string of drops, on short and long passes, with another coming Sunday. He has not shown as much separation as you’d hope, and the contested balls haven’t gone his way much, either. (The Athletic – Paul Dehner Jr.)
Nerdy Football Analysis: As Dehner goes on to say, Chase’s “skills and history are too impressive to think he won’t find a groove once he starts playing off instincts instead of constantly having to think about what he’s doing every play.” Nevertheless, it is a reminder that he is a rookie who did not play football at all last year, meaning he may need more than the 10 or so practice the Bengals have had so far before it clicks. He should still be considered a strong back-end WR2 at worst in drafts.
