The return on a hypothetical Ja’Marr Chase might be too good for the Cincinnati Bengals to pass up, according to Sports Illustrated‘s Matt Verderame.

Verderame said he spoke with six sources from NFL front offices about the Bengals wide receiver, and “almost all believe Cincinnati would either get a deal equivalent to or likely exceeding what the Kansas City Chiefs got when they traded Tyreek Hill in March 2022.”

The Chiefs got five draft picks from the Miami Dolphins when they dealt Hill. The highest of those selections was the No. 29 pick in 2022, which they used to move up and take cornerback Trent McDuffie at No. 21.

Before the 2024 season kicked off, you would’ve considered an extension for Chase to be a no-brainer. Through his first three seasons, he had 3,717 receiving yards and 29 touchdown grabs.

A three-time Pro Bowler already, there’s no doubt as to the 24-year-old’s standing as an elite pass-catcher.

But the Bengals’ performance as a team is raising big questions about what lies ahead.

Cincinnati has invested a lot of draft capital in its defense over the last few years yet it ranks 27th in yards allowed and 31st in scoring. Wide receiver Tee Higgins is headed for free agency. Joe Burrow’s salary cap hit climbs from $29.7 million to $46.3 million in 2025, and it only keeps going up from there.

The franchise’s championship window hasn’t closed for good with Burrow on the roster. It might need a year or two to reset, though.

Flipping Chase for draft picks, especially multiple picks within the first three rounds, would help lay the foundation for the next Bengals team that can contend for a Super Bowl.

In terms of replacing Chase, Cincinnati’s front office has displayed an eye for skilled receivers as well. Chase, Higgins and Andrei Iosivas all arrived through the draft.

The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. nonetheless questioned the domino effect of the Bengals trading their best wideout and one who has a strong rapport with Burrow.

“That’s a move that looks far better on paper than in practice,” he argued. “The unintended consequences and locker room fallout are catastrophic. Might as well just trade Burrow, too, if that’s the philosophy (don’t do that either!).”

Despite signing Burrow to a five-year, $275 million contract, the Bengals are unable to shake their longstanding reputation for being cheap. Trading Chase in lieu of paying him, despite the potential benefits from a team-building perspective, would further reinforce that perception.