Chase’s extension was always going to check in above the $35 million average annual value of Justin Jefferson and likely in the $40 million AAV range. Cincinnati’s job, then, is to get the guarantees right — which likely means big numbers after Year 1. They don’t usually do that, but did for Joe Burrow, so they might need to make another exception.

A season that saw Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase achieve the rare “receiving triple crown,” ended in some hardware for the 24-year-old.