The Cincinnati Bengals are going to be one of the NFL’s most analyzed teams in 2022, for good or bad.
And, Ja’Marr Chase is going to be one of the most analyzed wideouts in 2022. For good or bad.
But, based off what we saw in 2021 and what we’ve heard all offseason long, it will be for good. And there will be a whole lot of good.
If you ask anyone around the Bengals facility, they’ll tell you the No. 1 difference between rookie Ja’Marr Chase and sophomore Ja’Marr Chase: his advanced understanding of the game and the Bengals offense.
“I didn’t think he was uncomfortable last year, but now he seems really confident lining up anywhere and [with us] asking him to do anything,” head coach Zac Taylor recently told reporters.
“… He’s had really good recall on some of that stuff that’s helped us continue to move him around earlier this year than we would’ve last year.”
“Last year we probably would’ve lined him more at X, played him a little bit in the slot, and then as the season progressed, moved him around a lot more. This year, you can do that from Day 1.”
Joe Burrow essentially echoed Taylor’s comments in his post-practice presser on Wednesday.
“Just his overall feel. Last year at the beginning of the year he was a rookie that was running routes and didn’t really understand what we were doing as an offense,” said Burrow. “And now he’s just a complete receiver. [He] understands the point of each play [and] his job on each play. And, obviously, he’s going to go and win when we ask him to.”
It’s very clear at this point that Chase was relying mostly on athleticism and experience to win reps in 2021, which is what a lot of rookies do in their first year. But, now, he’s taken the extra steps to nail down the mental aspect of the game.
Think about it. One example of how this can really benefit Chase and the Bengals is the fact that Chase can now apply what he’s supposed to do within the framework of a play when he reads a certain coverage as he’s running his route.
Instead of simply trying to beat his man, Chase will be able to make the proper adjustment, which should help him come open on his own. He won’t need to use his abilities – things will just happen naturally.
And that’s what separates the good -even very good- players from the elite players.
The scariest part about all of this is many already consider Chase an elite player. So, the thought of him being even better in 2022 should be leaving a lot of wet bedsheets in the various homes of NFL defensive coordinators.
You can check out Joe Burrow’s full presser, below:
