The Cincinnati Bengals came into the training camp believing their offensive line had finally become a strength around Joe Burrow.
Ja’Marr Chase still has one demand after Thursday’s joint practice with the Chicago Bears: Protect the quarterback.
Burrow dealt with frequent pressure and got into a brief confrontation with a Bears defender during the Aug. 20 session.
Afterward, Chase bluntly assessed what Cincinnati needs to do around its franchise player.
“I don’t care what we do, we just better [expletive] protect Joe,” Chase said, according to Jay Morrison on X.
The comment came after an eventful practice for Burrow.
Cincy Jungle reported that a Bears defender held Burrow’s jersey, prompting the quarterback to shove him before a small scuffle developed.
Burrow responded on the next play with a completion to Chase.
The same recap Cincy Jungle noted that Chicago generated more pressure on Burrow than Cincinnati would have preferred.
There were no reported injuries, but Chase’s response made clear the Bengals’ offensive stars are monitoring every uncomfortable rep around No. 9.
Chase Makes Feelings Clear After Bears Practice
GettyCINCINNATI, OHIO – JULY 29: Ja’Marr Chase #1of the Cincinnati Bengals performs during the Cincinnati Bengals Training Camp at Kettering Health Practice Fields on July 29, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
Chase’s wording was forceful, and the worry behind it is all too familiar in Cincinnati.
The Bengals returned all five starting offensive linemen from 2025, when the group became the most stable front of the Zac Taylor era, per Bengals.com’s offseason roster outlook.
That continuity fueled confidence throughout the offseason.
Left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. went even further in July, saying he believed Cincinnati had the “best pass protection unit in the NFL.”
The first two tests against another team have challenged that declaration.
In Cincinnati’s preseason opener against the Detroit Lions, Burrow played only two series but was sacked once and hit on another throw. And the Brown was beaten on both plays, via Ravens.com.
Taylor defended his veteran left tackle afterward while acknowledging the larger issue.
“I think anytime Joe gets hit, all those guys are trying to figure out what they can do better,” Taylor said.
Thursday produced another reminder.
Burrow opened the joint practice sharply with three consecutive completions, and he found Chase for a standout toe-tap connection later in the session.
Yet the pressure remained one of the day’s most notable offensive developments.
Burrow Protection Is a Preseason Theme
GettyCINCINNATI, OHIO – JULY 29: Joe Burrow #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals performs during the Cincinnati Bengals Training Camp at Kettering Health Practice Fields on July 29, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
Cincinnati has fresh reason to be sensitive to unnecessary contact around Burrow.
The Bengals quarterback missed nine games in 2025 after suffering a toe injury in Week 2 against Jacksonville.
He returned on Thanksgiving and started the final six games, but the extended absence helped derail a season that began with major expectations.
Burrow also has a wider injury history that makes preseason contact stand out. He previously dealt with season-ending knee and wrist injuries earlier in his career before winning NFL Comeback Player of the Year twice.
That context makes Chase’s frustration more intelligible.
Joint practices are designed to provide starters with realistic competition in a more controlled setting.
Cincinnati got that Thursday, along with some tough reminders as Burrow faced regular pressure and exchanged shoves with an opponent.
There’s still time for the offensive line to settle in before Week 1, and the unit’s 2025 progress gives Cincinnati grounds for confidence.
But after one sack and another hit in the preseason opener, followed by a pressure-filled joint practice, the problem has surfaced twice in a week.
For Chase, the standard is simple — keep Burrow upright.
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