The Bengals are in an unusual and uncomfortable position.
Hey, tell me something new!
Thirty-one first-round picks across the league are now under contract – including Denver Broncos cornerback Jahdae Barron, who inked his deal this week. That leaves Cincinnati’s Shemar Stewart as the last man standing.
Failing to sign yet is not a problem in itself. Just last year, top pick Amarius Mims waited till 22 July to put pen to paper.
The issue is more about not training with the team while the holdout rumbles on. And his absence becomes more conspicuous by the day.
What is the holdout about?
The dispute is all about new default language added to Stewart’s rookie contract.
While Stewart’s base contract is a fully guaranteed $18.9 million over four years, this language would give Cincinnati a potential out from those guarantees.
The clause would allow the team to void future guaranteed money if he got into trouble through off-field incidents, on-field suspensions or even minor disciplinary actions.
Stewart’s camp has two key objections:
– Precedent: The Bengals have not included this clause in previous contracts, even though similar language is commonly used by other NFL teams.
– Scope: The clause could kick in for relatively minor on-field penalties that Stewart and his advisors consider excessive.
Separating fact from fiction
Recent events have ignited some pretty wild speculation about Stewart’s options. Let me try to sort the truth from the conjecture.
Training with Texas A&M?
To make his point, the edge rusher has returned to Texas A&M to train. Despite rumours to the contrary, he is not working out with the Aggies. He is training alone, which is within National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) rules.
Returning to college football?
Rejoining a college program is not feasible, whatever the keyboard warriors say. NCAA regulations prohibit a player from regaining amateur status after being drafted. A lengthy – and public – legal challenge to the rules would be needed, so this is a non-starter.
Skipping the season?
Some fans and commentators have suggested that Stewart could sit out the 2025 season, which is feasible but crazy.
If he fails to sign by the NFL’s deadline, after Week 10, he would become ineligible to play. Cincy would hold his rights for the rest of the season. After that, Stewart could enter the 2026 Draft and be selected by any other team.
While technically allowed, such a route makes no sense.
Voiding an entire year would cost Stewart millions in salary and bonuses. He would also miss valuable coaching time and in-game experience, stunting his development and damaging his reputation.
Seeking a trade?
While Stewart’s camp could – again theoretically – request a trade, this would have to happen at least 30 days before the season starts. That is not far away… but there are no whispers suggesting this is even being considered.
So now what?
What cards does each side hold? How will they play them? Who will blink first?
The Bengals are clearly playing hardball. They are citing precedent from other teams and trying to push through the new language as their new standard.
But Stewart is also standing firm. He will not sign a deal that includes these default protections against guaranteed money, and will not practice with the team in the meantime.
Quite the stalemate.
For now, Cincinnati’s front office can sit tight and continue negotiating. But every day Stewart misses is a wasted opportunity for a player brought in to boost a poor defensive front.
And I can barely bring myself to mention Trey Hendrickson at this point…
Locked in a test of patience and leverage, the cost is steep for both player and team. That makes a compromise the most likely – and most desirable – outcome.
But as training camp looms, both parties need to find some common ground soon. Otherwise, a promising career could be derailed before it even begins.
