Wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase’s arrival in the first round was greeted with fanfare in Cincinnati, but it hasn’t been the smoothest start on the field for the fifth overall pick.
Dispatches from Bengals camp have noted dropped passes, lacking separation from defenders and losses on contested balls that have made for fewer highlights than the team would have hoped to see. Tuesday’s practice went better than previous ones and Chase, who opted out at LSU last year, said after the session that he’s practicing patience when it comes to his development.
“I’ve got to take it slow,” Chase said, via the team’s website. “I realized this offense is very detailed. I had to take my time. The first couple of days I wasn’t doing so well. Of course. I kept pushing forward. Me sitting out that year, I’m not going to be so fast getting back to my normal self. It’s all mental. It’s all mental right now.”
Chase quoted LSU and Bengals teammate Thaddeus Moss’ reminder that “Rome wasn’t built in a day” as a way to put his rough practice days in perspective and no one will remember early August if everything comes together for Chase once the regular season is underway.