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Ben Baby, ESPN Staff WriterSep 8, 2024, 11:37 AM ET
- Ben Baby covers the Cincinnati Bengals for ESPN. He joined the company in July 2019. Prior to ESPN, he worked for various newspapers in Texas, most recently at The Dallas Morning News where he covered college sports.
He provides daily coverage of the Bengals for ESPN.com, while making appearances on SportsCenter, ESPN's NFL shows and ESPN Radio programs.
A native of Grapevine, Texas, he graduated from the University of North Texas with a bachelor's degree in journalism. He is an adjunct journalism professor at Southern Methodist University and a member of the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA).
CINCINNATI -- Count Ja'Marr Chase in for Sunday.
The Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver is active for the season opener against the New England Patriots. He was listed as questionable after a contract hold-in during training camp and an illness that he suffered Saturday morning.
Chase had previously stated that the decision to play would be up to him and be made at some point before kickoff. He also stated he'd be willing to play without a contract extension.
And a new deal does not appear to be coming. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Chase and the Bengals failed to agree on new terms for the three-time Pro Bowler. He still has two years remaining on his rookie deal.
Chase participated in Sunday's warmups with the team. He spent the bulk of the morning beside assistant Troy Walters as he got ready. Chase was also the first receiver to catch passes from quarterback Joe Burrow during warmups.
It softens the blow for a team that will still be without a key player. Wide receiver Tee Higgins is inactive for Sunday after he picked up a hamstring injury.
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