WR Ja'Marr Chase 'wouldn't mind' reunion with Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow
Wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, who opted out of his final season at LSU before turning pro, says he is open to a reunion with his former teammate and quarterback Joe Burrow in Cincinnati.
"I wouldn't mind going back with Joe," Chase said Wednesday. "If we go back together, we're trying to do nothing but get back our chemistry and have some more fun."
Cincinnati, which selected Burrow No. 1 overall last year, owns the fifth pick in this year's NFL draft, and Chase said he has spoken with the Bengals during the pre-draft process.
ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. lists Chase as the No. 2 wide receiver in the draft, behind Alabama's DeVonta Smith, and the No. 4 overall prospect.
In January, Burrow was asked about Chase and the possibility of getting back together. He too said he "wouldn't mind" reconnecting.
"That's a really good player. It's pretty easy to throw to him when he has 5 yards of separation every snap," Burrow said. "He's an exciting player and a great guy and a friend as well. He was fun to play with."
With Burrow as his quarterback, Chase had 84 catches for 1,780 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2019 and won the Biletnikoff Award, given to the nation's top receiver.
Chase told the SEC Network that he would let his results and film from his superb 2019 season speak for him when asked to make his pitch as the top wide receiver in this year's draft class.
"It's very important for me [to be the first receiver picked], not just because I dreamed of it, but I worked my butt off to get here," Chase said. "I don't want nobody to take that from me. I'm not letting anyone take it from me. So I'm gonna keep working."
Chase joined a number of his former LSU teammates and ran an unofficial 4.38-second 40-yard dash during the Tigers' pro day on Wednesday. He also posted an 11-foot standing broad jump and a 41-inch vertical jump.
"I would say I kind of surprised myself," Chase said of his 40 time. "I was going for a low 4.4, but last night I was feeling good about my starts and felt like I could get a 4.3 this morning. And I did it."
Chase wasn't the only potential first-round receiver to take part in the pro day. Terrace Marshall Jr., whom Kiper rates as the sixth-best receiver in the draft, ran an unofficial 4.38-second 40-yard dash as well.
Marshall appeared in seven games, catching 48 passes for 731 yards and 10 touchdowns, before opting out last season.
ESPN's Mike Triplett contributed to this report.
