Expectations are through the roof for the Cincinnati Bengals this season. Star wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase is supposed to be a major part of that. So, when he shared a cryptic post to social media on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend, it caught a lot of fans’ attention.
“Can’t be mad when already knew what you was walking into,” Chase wrote, along with a shrugging emoji.
The question then becomes, who is Chase referring to? Depending on who you think that post is referencing, it is going to change how you view the post.
There were some fans who felt he might be talking about Trey Hendrickson. The former Bengals edge rusher left for the Baltimore Ravens this offseason. So, given that quarterback Joe Burrow recently spoke about his departure, it’s possible Chase was adding to that discourse.
At the same time, this comes at a time when there were reports that Chase is away from the team for OTAs. Those are voluntary workouts, but teams still like to see everyone there. Worse, if Chase is referencing the Bengals, then there could be some tension between him and the team.
The Cincinnati Bengals are Currently Without WR Ja’Marr Chase
GettyCincinnati Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase
The Cincinnati Bengals would certainly prefer to have Ja’Marr Chase with the team for voluntary workouts. Luckily, this does not appear to be the start of a contract dispute and is just a matter of having a training preference.
Chris Roling of Bengals’ Wire explained, writing, “Chase has been absent from voluntary workouts this week with the Bengals. But as far as anyone can tell, it’s a simple matter of training preference.”
Roling isn’t the only reporter who referenced this training plan. Across the board, it appears that Chase has switched over to a new offseason training plan. So, he’s continuing to work on that away from the team.
All of that would tend to indicate that Chase was not posting about the Bengals on social media. Unless there’s something internal that hasn’t become public yet, figuring out who he’s talking about becomes murkier at that point.
Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow Raised Eyebrows When Discussing Trey Hendrickson’s Departure
GettyCincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow
If Ja’Marr Chase’s cryptic post was about Trey Hendrickson, then it was in discourse with what quarterback Joe Burrow recently said about the move. In particular, that he wasn’t surprised because he knows Hendrickson.
“Not very surprising,” Burrow said. “I know Trey, I love Trey, and I just know how he operates.”
Those comments from Burrow raised some eyebrows at the time. Again, like Chase’s post, it comes down to how an individual wants to interpret “I just know how he operates.” Because there is a world where that’s a shot at Hendrickson and there’s a world where it isn’t.
Hendrickson landed a massive contract with the Ravens. It’s a four-year, $112 million deal that would have been hard for just about any player to turn down.
At the same time, Hendrickson also recently appeared to take a shot at the Bengals. He said, “What an incredible honor it is to continue to play in the AFC North on the right side of the ball. And I’m excited to get to work. Obviously, the uniforms are gorgeous … ready to get out there and get to work.”
If you’re a Bengals fan, that’s a shot. If you’re on the Ravens, it may just be playing to the new home team. Regardless, it could have sparked this war of cryptic words.
Bengals Star WR Ja’Marr Chase Shares Cryptic Post on Social Media