The Cincinnati Bengals are having major troubles with the contracts of their defensive ends.
All offseason, the Bengals have been dealing with a holdout from star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson, who is accusing the organization of not holding up their end of contract agreements.
Now Cincy's first-round draft pick, Texas A&M defensive end Shemar Stewart, is doing the same.
The Bengals have now began offseason programs with on-field practices, but Stewart, who was drafted No. 17 overall, is not involved ... at least on the field.
Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer has reported new details that explain Stewart's rare rookie holdout.
"Stewart and the Bengals tried to reach an agreement before rookie minicamp began. The two sides hit a snag in negotiations over roster bonus structure and the language in the participation agreement," Conway said.
The first issue Stewart saw was that his proposed deal turned out to be cheaper than last year's No. 17 pick. That is due to this year's draftees receiving lower percentage bonuses than last year's class.
Stewart would reportedly be participating in practice if he had received the proper bonus amount, as it is common for players to begin practicing even before they officially sign their contract.
But there was another key detail missing from the papers. And it's an easy fix...
"There’s also the injury protection portion of this equation as well. A source told The Enquirer if the team offered a more protected participation agreement, Stewart would be willing to practice while negotiations of his deal ensued," Conway said.
An injury protection plan confirms that, if Stewart were to get seriously injured during these practices before he officially signed his contract, he would be insured with guaranteed money.
Especially with the ongoing Hendrickson situation, Cincinnati desperately need Stewart on the field to start getting acclimated as a rookie.
Not choosing to allow Stewart - or any top draft prospect for that matter - injury protection is forfeiting impactful training that will prepare him for his first taste of the NFL.
Unfortunately, this is just another example of silly management by the Bengals' front office.
Only time will tell to see how much this inefficiency backfires as the team still has work to do with both of their defensive ends.