Cincinnati Bengals rookie wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase is headed to the Pro Bowl — and his fifth-year option cost just got more expensive as a result.
Per the rules of the latest CBA, the Pro Bowl is now worth millions to first-round picks. As Over the Cap explains, one Pro Bowl nod means a first-rounder’s fifth-year option escalates to that of his position’s transitional tag.
Without a Pro Bowl, a first-rounder’s fifth-year option is the average of the 3rd to 25th positional contracts over five years. This marginally increases without Pro Bowl nods based on snap counts.
And, given Chase’s current pace, the Bengals also have to worry about this — Two or more Pro Bowl nods over his first three seasons would mean the fifth-year pricetag escalates to the same value as the positional franchise tag.
Of course, the Bengals can’t complain — having a Pro Bowler like Chase, one of the best in the NFL at his position already, is a boon to have. But this is something to keep in mind, especially if the two start talking big-money extensions after his third season, the first time they’ll be permitted to do so.
