The Cincinnati Bengals and Shemar Stewart are in a contract dispute; the first-round pick has attended team meetings but has not participated in OTAs and mandatory minicamp, leaving Thursday and making it clear he will not practice until a deal is finalized. The contract disagreement stems mainly from a new clause that voids future guaranteed money if a default occurs and voids every remaining year. Also, the Bengals’ offer for the percentage of training camp bonuses in future years was lower than that of Dallas Turner, the 17th pick from last year’s draft.
Also Read: Cincinnati Bengals: 1 Major Reason for Rookie Holding Out
The Cincinnati Bengals’ 1st-round pick on his contract standoff
Cincinnati Bengals, Shemar Stewart
Cincinnati Bengals first-round draft pick Shemar Stewart speaks during a press conference, Friday, April 25, 2025, at Paycor Stadium in Downtown Cincinnati.
During Tuesday’s press conference, via Jay Morrison of Sports Illustrated, Shemar Stewart ripped the front office for including the new clause that voids future guaranteed money if a default occurs that he deemed “unfair.” He also believes he is “100 percent right” in this standoff, and many teammates are on his side. Finally, Stewart asks for fairness, not more than he deserves.
“I’m 100 percent right,” Stewart said of his dug-in stance against the inclusion of a clause that could void guarantees in his contract, via Morrison.
“I’ve never been a person to ask for more than what I deserve,” he added. “And (the Bengals) trying to implement something new, to me, is unfair. And I feel like I’ve been nothing but fair. I’m not asking for nothing crazy. I could understand if I was asking for more on my signing bonus, which I’m not. They trying to do all of this is crazy.”
The Cincinnati Bengals’ head coach isn’t concerned about the dispute
The Cincinnati Bengals Head Coach Zac Taylor speaks at a press conference after their practice on Tuesday May 20, 2025. © Phil Didion/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Cincinnati Bengals Head Coach Zac Taylor speaks at a press conference after their practice on Tuesday May 20, 2025.
“I think for all the rookies, you’d like them to be on the field,” Zac Taylor said, via Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk.“But certainly, there’s things that happen over the course of an NFL career and this is one of them right now. So, he’s been in the meetings, he’s been positive that way. He’s been a good learner. And we look forward to getting him back on the field quickly.
“I think there’s education that happens with all the rookies, that we do our best to educate them,” Taylor added. “No. 1, we want to protect our team in our locker room. And so, there’s some things — I understand when there’s frustration there. That’s how he chose to do it. That’s his prerogative. And we look forward to getting him back in the fold.”
Cincinnati Bengals center and VP of NFL PA offers his thoughts
bengals ted karras
Feb 8, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Ted Karras on the red carpet before the NFL Honors show at Resorts World Theatre. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
During Thursday’s press conference, via Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic, starting center and Vice President of the NFL Players Association Ted Karras offered his thoughts on the contract stalemate between Shemar Stewart and the front office, analyzing it both as a teammate and the business side of things. He said Stewart is simply following orders from his camp. Karras added that it has not affected the locker room, but thinks it’s “unfortunate for both sides.”
#Bengals center Ted Karras with some good perspective on the Shemar Stewart situation. Points out he wears “about five different hats,” as an NFLPA exec, team captain, 10-year vet, etc.
“It’s not the best-case scenario of how the spring could have gone for our first-round pick.…
— Paul Dehner Jr. (@pauldehnerjr) June 12, 2025
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