Chase Dealing With Hip Issue; Stopping Chubb; Injury Update

All hands are officially on deck.

Bengals head coach Zac Taylor confirmed after Friday’s practice that Pro Bowl wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase is going to miss “some time,’ with a hip issue and is expected to make a full recovery.

Taylor didn’t delve into what the injury is or if the Bengals plan to put him on injured reserve, but it’s clear Chase is going to miss the first NFL game of his career in Cleveland Monday night (8:15-Cincinnati’s Channel 9 and ESPN) a week after he became the fastest Bengal to catch 2,000 yards in his career when in his 24th game he grabbed 130 yards in the win over the Falcons.

The Bengals are saying all hands to replace Chase and they start with a pair of 1,000-yard receivers in Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd.

“Like I said since I’ve been here,” said backup slot receiver Trent Taylor before Friday’s practice, “we’ve got one of the best receiving corps in the league and when one of the best solo guys in the game goes down , I think you still have three guys and two phenomenal receivers in Tee and TB. The rest of the guys, we’re a pretty deep group. It’s hard to replace Ja’Marr, but I think we’ll be perfectly fine at receiver.”

Taylor, their primary punt returner, has caught three balls as a Bengal, the last one the tying two-pointer in the AFC title game on his only playoff snap. Mike Thomas, widely viewed as their No. 4, has two catches this season with one a catch-and-go 33-yarder.

Another backup receiver usually active for special teams, Stanley Morgan, Jr., looks like he’ll miss his second straight game with a hamstring injury.

The X Factor may be Tyler Boyd, the reliable vet slot receiver who has lined up all over the place in his seven seasons and has been a deep threat with quarterback Joe Burrow. With four, the only NFL player with more 50-yard touchdown catches than Boyd in the last two seasons is Chase with six. Boyd stunned the Falcons last Sunday with a 60-yard touchdown on the fourth play of the game.