Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase day-to-day; DJ Reader out for season،
CINCINNATI — Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase is officially dealing with a sprained AC joint in his right shoulder, coach Zac Taylor said Sunday.
Chase was injured during the team's 27-24 overtime win over the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday. Taylor said the prognosis that Chase will be valued in the near term is consistent with what was initially expected.
The coach added that it was too early to assess Chase's availability in practice throughout the week leading up to the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Dec. 23.
The Bengals received bad news regarding two players, including one of their best defenders. Defensive tackle DJ Reader is out for the season with a series of torn quadriceps muscles in his right leg, Taylor said Sunday. Reader tore his left quadriceps in 2020, his first season with the Bengals.
Reader, who is in the final year of his contract, was among the first players Cincinnati signed in free agency to revamp a franchise that finished with the league's worst record in 2019.
Cincinnati rookie cornerback DJ Ivey also suffered a season-ending torn ACL in his right knee, Taylor said Sunday. Ivey, who played a few defensive snaps but was primarily used on special teams, was injured while attempting to tackle on a punt return.
Chase favored his right shoulder after making a 24-yard catch on third-and-21 to extend a Cincinnati drive during the Bengals' comeback. He came in for two more snaps but couldn't finish the game.
“It was tough,” Taylor said. “He couldn't do much. And you could tell by leaving the field after one of the Tee [Higgins’] touchdowns, there was no way he could play with that for the rest of the day. »
Chase finished the game with four catches for a team-high 64 yards. Cincinnati (8-6) erased a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit to force overtime and ultimately win its third straight game.
On the season, Chase has 93 receptions for 1,156 yards and seven touchdowns. With three games remaining in the regular season, Chase is 19 catches away from tying TJ Houshmandzadeh's team record of 112, set in 2007.
Including Saturday, Reader appeared in 44 games for the Bengals. Taylor said he played an integral role in the team's turnaround, which included a Super Bowl appearance and back-to-back AFC North championships.
“Every step of the way, he represented everything we talk about in the locker room, everything we talk about on the field, everything we talk about in practice, the way you carry yourself,” Taylor said. “He represented everything. That's why he was voted captain. He deserved it all and he was invaluable during his time here.”
