The Cincinnati Bengals are looking to rebound in 2025 after missing the postseason in back-to-back years for the first time in the Joe Burrow era. But that may be harder than expected to do without their top draft pick being involved in offseason workouts.
One key issue for the Bengals this past season was an inability to get to the quarterback, recording the seventh-lowest sack totals of any defense in football.
As a result, things on the defensive side of the ball were a significant problem, allowing 25.5 points per game this past season.
Seeing that this was a problem, Bengals director of player personnel and “de facto” GM Duke Tobin opted to address edge early on in the 2025 NFL Draft, selecting Texas A&M edge rusher Shemar Stewart with the No. 17 pick in the draft.
Most Bengals fans expected Stewart would feature early on in the team’s edge rusher rotation in 2025. But at least early on in the offseason, Stewart hasn’t taken part in the team’s offseason program as we approach “Phase 2″ of the team’s offseason workouts.
According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, Stewart will remain sidelined during Phase 2 as he works through ” a disagreement over contract language” in his rookie deal.
#Bengals 1st-round DE Shemar Stewart will remain sidelined as Phase 2 of offseason workouts begins today, due to a disagreement over contract language in his rookie deal. pic.twitter.com/goQeJr3spi
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) May 20, 2025
Schultz also acknowledged in a later post on social media that while Stewart isn’t the only first-round pick yet to have signed his rookie deal, he is the only one not participating in their respective team’s offseason workout regimen while attempting to work out a deal.
While there are other first-rounders who remain unsigned, Shemar Stewart is the only one who is taking the side of not participating until contract is done.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) May 20, 2025
There are still over four months until the start of the 2025 NFL regular season. So chances are, this will all end up being a non-issue for the Bengals in the grand scheme of things.
But with that being said, it’s still perhaps not the best look for the organization not to have their top draft pick this year on the field for their offseason workouts, which could go a long way in stunting his development.