CINCINNATI -- Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase has expressed his certainty about his availability for Saturday's game against the Minnesota Vikings, despite a recent ankle injury.

Chase, who suffered the injury during the Bengals' victory over the Indianapolis Colts last week, was a limited participant during Wednesday's practice. The team's injury report indicates that he would not have practiced on Tuesday if the Bengals had a session. The team opted for a walk-through practice due to the short week.

The third-year receiver out of LSU believes the injury occurred on his first catch in the game against the Colts. Although he is unsure about the exact cause, Chase immediately felt something was wrong. Despite the setback, he managed to finish the game with three catches on four targets for 29 yards, playing on the highest percentage of offensive snaps among Bengals receivers.

Chase showed no signs of discomfort during Wednesday's practice, which went smoothly. He did switch cleats after the stretching period, but clarified that it was merely to break in a new pair. Similarly, Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson, Chase's former LSU teammate, has been dealing with a chest injury but has also stated his expectation to play in this weekend's matchup between the two teams.

Leading up to the game, communication between the two friends has been limited. Chase mentioned that their discussions have mostly revolved around checking on each other's well-being. They have purposely avoided conversations regarding contract negotiations. Jefferson has not yet reached a contract extension on his rookie deal, while Chase, eligible for a new contract next year, is eager to see the numbers on Jefferson's potential deal.

Since entering the league in 2020, Jefferson has accumulated the most receiving yards (4,825) in a player's first three seasons. Chase, who has four games remaining in his third season, closely follows him on that list with 3,593 receiving yards. Notably, Chase has already secured 29 touchdowns, surpassing Jefferson's total of 25.

When questioned about his contract situation, Chase light-heartedly dismissed the topic, stating, "I'm not talking nothing about no contract yet, man. I need to see some more numbers from him."

As both teams enter this crucial clash with playoff implications, all eyes will be on Chase and Jefferson as they strive to contribute to their respective teams' success while keeping their contract matters in the background.