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Was drafting Ja'Marr Chase the wrong move for the Cincinnati Bengals? The NFL draft has come and gone. Most players taken in the first round have had their "tryout" period. Rookies are placed in a position to hopefully make an immediate impact, while others sit behind starters with the opportunity to learn.
Unfortunately for some rookies, the pressure is on to make an immediate impact faster than most. Ja'Marr Chase is one of those players. The standout wide receiver from LSU and former teammate of Joe Burrow, is expected to be an immediate playmaker.
Are Ja'Marr Chase's comments taken out of context?
Ja'Marr Chase had a tough go in the preseason. The rookie had issues holding on to the ball and has been under scrutiny, as he is supposed to be the next big star.
Most experts are now weighing in and wondering if the smarter move should have been to draft offensive lineman Penei Sewell, who is now with the Detroit Lions. Joe Burrow suffered a season-ending ACL tear in the 2020 season. Of course, drafting more offensive line help should have been the move here.
Adding a deep threat wide receiver is still a bonus move, especially with how Chase played in college. Linking Burrow and Chase back together should have been a perfect match, but it seems the rookie is not ready for the speed of the NFL.
Chase had the opportunity to showcase his skillset on the big stage, but that has backfired in many ways. Especially with his most recent comments. Chase recently commented on how the NFL ball is harder to catch. Now, these comments could be taken out of context a little, though they are still concerning.
Players at any level in the NFL should not be commenting on how they can't follow the game. Those feelings should be a given, and should also be kept close to the chest. If rookie players are meant to be starters, they should attempt to not allow their opposing teams to exploit a type of weakness.
Rookies will always go through rough patches in their learning process, and it seems that Sewell is at that same juncture. No one is perfect and mistakes will be made. The learning process is what counts. Especially with the opportunity to learn from a veteran in the locker room.
It would appear that both rookies need to adjust to the bigger stage of things at the pro level. Drafting Chase from Sewell doesn't seem like too much of a gamble currently, but if Chase struggles more with drops, that question could ring true.
