On Aug. 27, the intrigue surrounding Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase's contract situation took an unexpected turn.
In a hit on NFL Network that evening, insider Ian Rapoport said that Chase was looking for an extension in which he would top Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson's record-setting deal by one penny.
"My understanding is that the two sides are still discussing a long-term extension, that, if he got it, would make him either tied for the highest-paid receiver with Justin Jefferson, or beating Justin Jefferson by one cent, which I believe is the goal by Ja'Marr Chase," Rapoport said via John Breech of CBS Sports.
On Friday, Chase made his thoughts on that idea clear in no uncertain terms.
“If I want to beat Justin, I’m going to beat the s--t out of Justin," Chase said via Marshall Kramsky of WCPO-TV in Cincinnati of his former LSU teammate.
Jefferson signed a four-year, $140 million extension with the Vikings on June 3, while the NFL world continues to wait for Chase's deal with the 2024 season set to begin.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Ja'Marr Chase Bluntly Rebukes Report He Wants One Cent More Than Justin Jefferson.