Ja’Marr Chase was on the field in Cincinnati for pregame warmups, but the former LSU wide receiver doesn’t have his new contract yet.

So according to a ProFootballTalk source with direct knowledge of the situation, there was still a question as to whether the Bengals star was going to play in Sunday’s season opener against the New England Patriots.

Chase is dealing with the balancing act of not wanting to let down his teammates with the cold, hard fact that he doesn’t have the new contract he desires.

The 4th-year pro, who was the 5th overall pick in the 2021 draft, had stated that he wanted his new contract done by the start of the season but that he would still suit up if that didn’t happen. On Friday, Chase said he would be available to play close to his usual workload of snaps but wouldn’t be 100% because of the contract situation.

If that wasn’t enough of a distraction, Chase also woke up on Saturday with an illness, which put his status for Sunday’s game further into question.

Chase is already a 3-time Pro Bowl selection after a standout career at LSU, where he helped the Tigers capture the 2019 national championship. Chase was a unanimous All-American that season.