The Cincinnati Bengals and Joe Burrow have had ideal conditions with one of the NFL’s most accomplished receiving duos.
On Wednesday, Burrow made clear another player belongs near the front of Cincinnati’s plans.
Speaking after the Bengals’ first open training camp practice, Burrow offered a convincing description of how he wants the offense to operate.
“We’re gonna try to get the ball in (Ja’Marr Chase’s) hands as much as we can, but a close second is Chase Brown,” Burrow said, as Noelle Blumel of WCPO shared on X.
All steam ahead for Brown, who enters his fourth NFL season coming off his first 1,000-yard rushing campaign.
Perhaps, Burrow leaked an early clue (or is throwing a red herring) about how Cincinnati could distribute opportunities in an offense that still features Pro Bowl receiver Tee Higgins.
Burrow Puts Brown Near Top of Bengals’ Offensive Plans
GettyCINCINNATI, OHIO – DECEMBER 28: Joe Burrow #9 hands off to Chase Brown #30 of the Cincinnati Bengals during the third quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at Paycor Stadium on December 28, 2025 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
Burrow’s comment also piques interest because Brown already handled one of the league’s busiest dual-threat workloads in 2025.
Brown rushed 232 times for 1,019 yards and six touchdowns, then added 69 receptions for 437 yards and five more scores.
His 69 catches set a Bengals single-season record for a running back, and he was one of five NFL players to finish with at least 1,000 rushing yards and 400 receiving yards.
Brown finished with 1,456 yards from scrimmage on 301 touches, putting him in the top 10 among NFL running backs in both categories. He also set a Bengals record with six consecutive games of at least 100 yards from scrimmage.
Chase remains the focal point of the passing game after catching 125 passes for 1,412 yards and eight touchdowns last season.
Higgins added 59 catches for 846 yards and a career-high 11 receiving touchdowns, earning his first Pro Bowl selection.
But Brown matched Higgins with 11 total touchdowns and gave Cincinnati another way to create offense.
He can stay on the field as a runner or receiver, and the quarterback’s wording suggests Cincinnati wants plenty more of that in 2026.
Brown’s Contract Year Amid Burrow’s Message
GettyCINCINNATI, OHIO – JULY 29: Chase Brown #30 of the Cincinnati Bengals signs autographs during the Cincinnati Bengals Training Camp at Kettering Health Practice Fields on July 29, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
There is also a business side to Brown’s place in the offense.
The 26-year-old enters the final season of his rookie contract after Cincinnati selected him in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL draft.
ESPN reported in January that Brown’s representatives had been communicating with the Bengals about an extension, with the running back making his preference clear.
“I don’t want to go anywhere else,” Brown said.
Cincinnati’s position preview projected Brown to lead the backfield again, with Samaje Perine behind him.
The Bengals also return all five starting offensive linemen from a unit that helped Cincinnati produce its most rushing yards since its 2021 Super Bowl season.
Brown’s 2025 production came during a season in which Burrow missed nine games with a toe injury.
Cincinnati finished 6-11 and missed the playoffs for a third consecutive year, but Brown emerged as one of the constants on an offense forced to adjust around multiple quarterbacks.
So, it’s normal to think he’s primed for a breakout if Burrow has a fully healthy year.
Burrow’s training camp message seems a bit more than routine praise.
For a former fifth-round pick who began his career in a complementary role, Brown enters 2026 in a much different position.
He is Cincinnati’s starting running back, a franchise record-holder, an extension candidate and, by Burrow’s own description, one of the first two players the Bengals want to feed.
Cincinnati Bengals’ Joe Burrow Makes Strong Declaration About Chase Brown