Bengals not placing injured WR Ja’Marr Chase on IR

Cincinnati Bengals extensive receiver Ja’Marr Chase won’t be positioned on injured reserve, coach Zac Taylor mentioned on Saturday.

In line with ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Chase is predicted to overlook between four-to-six weeks with a hip harm.

Taylor’s feedback on Saturday go away the window open for Chase to return initially of that timetable. The fourth-year coach mentioned the timing, which incorporates the staff’s Week 10 bye, went into the choice to not place Chase on injured reserve this week.

“The general prognosis of the way it may play out components into that,” Taylor mentioned.

Following the staff’s Week 6 win over the New Orleans Saints, Chase was listed with a hip harm all through the week at apply. Within the staff’s Week 7 victory in opposition to the Atlanta Falcons, Chase slowed on the finish of a route and walked to the locker room within the closing minutes of the primary half. Chase completed the sport and downplayed the problem after the sport.

“I am good although,” Chase mentioned.

Nevertheless, sources informed ESPN’s Schefter that Chase visited an orthopedist on Wednesday, a further non-practice day for the Bengals with the staff enjoying the Cleveland Browns on Monday Evening Soccer as an alternative of the standard Sunday sport.

Bengals extensive receiver Tyler Boyd mentioned he has been involved with Chase all through the week.

“It isn’t tremendous devastating,” Boyd mentioned of Chase’s harm. “He acquired a nagging harm. He’ll be again, although.”

In 2021, the Bengals drafted Chase with the fifth general choose. He set the franchise document for many receiving yards in a single season and was named the Related Press Offensive Rookie of the Yr. Via the primary seven weeks of this season, Chase ranked sixth within the NFL in whole receiving yards (605).

Chase, Boyd and Tee Higgins signify the staff’s solely group of three extensive receivers to every have 400 or extra receiving yards by way of the primary seven weeks of the season.

Boyd, a seventh-year receiver who posted a career-high 155 yards in final week’s win over the Falcons, mentioned that the weekly course of has been the identical with Chase out and there’s no added strain to contribute in Chase’s absence.

“I really feel like me and Tee are going to proceed to have that manufacturing,” Boyd mentioned. “We are available every day, each week, no matter who’s in and who’s out, as a result of we acquired a job we gotta do on the finish of the day. And we’re nonetheless going to get our targets and we nonetheless have to organize for a option to win our matchups.”

All through the season, defenses have made it some extent to shift its protection to cease Chase. However even with Chase out, Boyd does not anticipate these seems to be altering.

“We nonetheless have good matchups in the event that they wish to go man,” Boyd mentioned. “Possibly they may go a bit extra (double) protection, however we’re nonetheless anticipating the identical issues.”

Together with Chase’s absence, extensive receiver Stanley Morgan will miss his second straight sport with a hamstring situation. That leaves 4 wholesome extensive receivers on the staff’s lively roster. Trenton Irwin, who has been on the staff’s apply squad since 2019, was referenced by Taylor on Saturday as a possible call-up choice.

Taylor mentioned whether or not it is the starters resembling Boyd or Higgins or the opposite reserves, gamers should step up in Chase’s absence. Taylor mentioned the familiarity with the scheme and the continuity with the receiving group ought to profit the Bengals as they give the impression of being to snap a four-game dropping streak to the Browns (2-5).

“These guys all have a job to play,” Taylor mentioned.