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The Cincinnati Bengals' 2024 season opener against the New England Patriots is five days away, and their best receiver is not on the practice field. Ja'Marr Chase has continued his hold-in for the majority of training camp, and coach Zac Taylor said they will be taking it "day by day." Well, there aren't many days left before meaningful football will be played.

So, should Bengals fans panic about Chase potentially holding out? Former Cincinnati star Chad Johnson predicted Chase would hold out if he doesn't get his new contract before Sunday, because it's "the only way to get deals done," according to him. At the same time, Johnson expressed optimism that Chase will sign a deal before Sept. 8. According to a recent report from ESPN, the Bengals have intensified their efforts to get a deal done with Chase, and there's precedent to believe one will get done.

When Geno Atkins signed his five-year extension in 2013, it came on Sept. 2. When A.J. Green signed a four-year extension in 2015, that came on Sept. 11 -- before the Bengals boarded buses to travel for their season opener. How about Joe Burrow? Remember when the star quarterback signed his record deal the day of the 2023 NFL season opener? Who's to say Chase won't put pen to paper five minutes from now?

With all that being said, the threat of a Chase holdout is a legitimate one. If that were to happen, who would step up for Burrow and the Bengals? Let's take a look: 

Tee Higgins

Higgins would be Burrow's de facto No. 1 wideout if Chase held out, and he's very capable of playing well in that role. In 2023, Higgins statistically had his worst NFL season due to rib and hamstring injuries, but the former No. 33 overall pick recorded back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving campaigns in 2021 and 2022, and his 3,684 career receiving yards rank sixth-most through four NFL seasons in Bengals franchise history.

Higgins is a big perimeter target at 6-foot-4, who can also stretch the field. He's trying to show the NFL world in 2024 that he's worth No. 1 money, and a Chase holdout would be a great opportunity for him to shine.

Jermaine Burton

We all know who Higgins is, so perhaps the best answer to "who will replace Chase should he hold out" is Burton. The Bengals selected the former Alabama wideout in the third round at No. 80 overall this year, and CBS Sports NFL Draft expert Chris Trapasso declared it one of the best picks of Cincinnati's draft -- grading it an "A": 

One of the best vertical threats in the class. Tracks it like an outfielder and can really separate on intricate routes deep. Minimal YAC. Nice depth option who could step into larger role in 2025 if Tee Higgins bolts. 

The Georgia transfer caught 79 passes for 1,475 yards and 15 touchdowns in 26 games played for the Crimson Tide. As Trapasso mentioned, Burton can stretch the field for Burrow, and proved it in the preseason. In his first NFL action, Burton led the Bengals with 82 receiving yards and a touchdown on three receptions. He finished the preseason with eight receptions for 157 yards and two touchdowns. If you're not good at math, Burton averaged 19.6 yards per reception in three exhibition games. 

The hype around Burton is for real. PFF even declared him their highest-graded offensive rookie in the preseason.

Andrei Iosivas

The former sixth-round pick out of Princeton caught 15 passes for 116 yards and four touchdowns as a rookie, but in his first career start vs. the Cleveland Browns in the regular-season finale, Iosivas caught five passes for 36 yards and two touchdowns. 

He has been viewed as the favorite to replace Tyler Boyd at WR3 in the slot, and multiple reports from camp indicated Iosivas was consistently standing out on the practice field. Maybe for Week 1, he's the more trusted target for Burrow compared to the rookie Burton.