Ja’Marr Chase did not waste much time celebrating the Cleveland Browns trading Myles Garrett out of the AFC North, but he did admit it’s good news for the Cincinnati Bengals.
When asked about Garret’s trade to the Giants, the superstar receiver barely paused long enough to acknowledge it before turning his attention right back to football.
“Good for us,” Chase said with a shrug when asked about Garrett’s departure. “I don’t really care, but good for us.”
Then came the line that may matter most for the Bengals
heading into 2026.
“We’ve always had a chance, but a higher chance now.”
For years, Garrett has been one of the biggest obstacles standing between the Bengals and another Super Bowl run. The former Defensive Player of the Year tormented Cincinnati offensive lines throughout his career with the Browns, routinely forcing game plans to revolve around slowing him down.
Since entering the NFL in 2017, Garrett has recorded 102.5 career sacks and has become one of the most dominant pass rushers of his generation. Against Cincinnati alone, he consistently disrupted games with pressure, strip sacks, and game-changing plays, tallying 16 sacks against the Bengals in just 14 games.
Now, for the first time in nearly a decade, Joe Burrow and the Bengals no longer have to face off against Garrett twice every season.
While Chase downplayed the emotional impact publicly, his response revealed what many around the league are already thinking: removing a player like Garrett from Cleveland significantly changes the equation for every offense in the division.
Chase was not alone in his reaction. Fellow receiver Tee Higgins gave the same answer when asked about the move.
“It’s good for us, as well.”
That simple response reflects the quiet confidence currently surrounding Cincinnati’s locker room. The Bengals already believe they possess one of the NFL’s most dangerous offenses with Burrow, Chase, Higgins and Chase Brown leading the way. Now, with Cleveland losing its defensive centerpiece and Pittsburgh and Baltimore both facing major offseason questions of their own, Cincinnati sees an opening.
Burrow has already spoken this offseason about the hunger inside the locker room after last season’s disappointment. Chase’s comments only reinforced that mentality. There was no extended celebration, no trash talk, and no dramatic reaction, just a quick acknowledgment from one of the NFL’s biggest stars.
And then back to practice.
