There were already football-only reasons to question the Cincinnati Bengals decision to use their first-round pick on Shemar Stewart in the recent NFL draft.
Yes, he has the traits. But critics called him an "underachiever'' while at Texas A&M, with production that certainly did not overwhelm.
Now, there is a problem that is just as bothersome and it doesn't necessarily matter which side you blame.
Stewart remains angrily entangled in a contract dispute with the club, a rarity for a first-round pick at this time in this era. Stewart didn’t participate in any offseason activities with the team before training camp and at this present rate, we might not hold our breath waiting for him to show up there, either.
And why not? There is language in his contract offer that his side argues is punitive and not standard as it threatens to take away guaranteed money under a variety of circumstances.
And so we're not sure if he's good.
And we're not sure if he's going to be here.
Little wonder, then, that Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski puts him on the list of the top rookies who could disappoint. And when you add it all up?
As far as Bengals are concerned – and again, blame whomever you wish – to have a first-round pick who was slated to start out as a key part of the rotation with Trey Hendrickson and the rest only to have Stewart in limbo (along with the All-Pro Hendrickson)?
The Bengals and Stewart now deserve the scrutiny of being at the very top of a list, that is the very worst sort of list.