Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins' absences from Bengals OTAs have no grounds to be grouped together
83 of the Cincinnati Bengals' 87 rostered players showed up for the first day of voluntary OTAs Tuesday morning. The four that didn't made headlines.Trent Brown, Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Sheldon Rankins were the only players absent from the practice fields outside Paycor Stadium for the first of 10 voluntary practices. Brown and Rankins already signed […]
83 of the Cincinnati Bengals' 87 rostered players showed up for the first day of voluntary OTAs Tuesday morning. The four that didn't made headlines.
Trent Brown, Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Sheldon Rankins were the only players absent from the practice fields outside Paycor Stadium for the first of 10 voluntary practices.
Brown and Rankins already signed contracts earlier this year, while future contracts are in store for both Chase and Higgins. Their cases, however, aren't the same. Not that it matters to head coach Zac Taylor.
Chase and Higgins have each been working out away from the Bengals facility over the past several weeks, as have Brown and Rankins. The work they're putting in now will only help their output when surrounded by their teammates when mandatory minicamp begins next month.
"No I think that they'll get the work in at the necessary time," Taylor answered when asked about players being away from the team. "We have a high turnout for voluntary workouts. I told the guys I understand it's voluntary. I appreciate them showing up. The guys that don't are still working hard elsewhere, and they'll be back at the right times."
Brown, Chase, and Rankins are all expected to show up when required in a couple weeks to close out the offseason program that leads into summer break and training camp. All three are under contract this season with their names on dotted lines.
Higgins is a different case entirely. He has yet to sign his franchise tender and is ineligible to practice with the team until he does. It would be highly unlikely for Higgins to sign his tender any time soon as he utilizes his last ounce of leverage for a long-term deal prior to the July 15 deadline. Even when that passes, Higgins is more likely to train off site instead of risking his body for the team before he needs to in the regular season.
Not only is Chase not dealing with any of that, he hasn't even accrued enough seasons to get away with a holdout. If Chase doesn't report to training camp, which would be the next step for anyone missing mandatory minicamp, he won't accrue a fourth season. That's not going to happen and for that reason along, they shouldn't be grouped together in any case.
Chase will be back soon. Higgins will be back later. Regardless of their differing situations, Taylor isn't concerned with either of their absences at the moment.
"The beauty is we know those guys, we know what they're about and they'll be ready and focused when it's time to come back," Taylor said.
As offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher imprints his ownership on the offense this spring, the two players he has to worry about the least outside of Joe Burrow are Chase and Higgins. There is no re-integrating them when the time comes. In many ways, they are the offense.
And they'll be back to confirm that in time.
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