Ben Baby
Jeremy Fowler
Jeremy Fowler
senior NFL national reporter
Jeremy Fowler is a senior national NFL writer for ESPN, covering the entire league including breaking news. Jeremy also contributes to SportsCenter both as a studio analyst and a sideline reporter covering for NFL games. He is an Orlando, Florida native who joined ESPN in 2014 after covering college football for CBSSports.com.
CINCINNATI — Contract negotiations between NFL teams and rookies are generally pretty mundane.
The money is slotted according to the terms set in the collective bargaining agreement between teams and the NFL Players Association. As soon as the order is set for the draft, every future dollar can be projected for every rookie, from the first pick to Mr. Irrelevant.
But what’s happening between the Cincinnati Bengals and defensive end Shemar Stewart is anything but mundane. Stewart did not participate in offseason workouts because of a disagreement over his rookie contract. He had been attending sessions without participating until Thursday when he abruptly left camp, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
It’s the first major rookie dispute since 2016, when Joey Bosa held out of Chargers training camp until his contract was signed.
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“I’m trying to get out there as fast as I can,” Stewart said Tuesday.
But after his departure Thursday, and before the team ended its three-day minicamp and broke for the summer, it isn’t that simple.
Bengals reporter Ben Baby answers four big questions, including the options for both sides. National reporter Jeremy Fowler dishes on what he’s hearing around the league regarding when it might end.
What is the dispute about?
According to a source with knowledge of the negotiations, the sticking point is language in the contract that could void guaranteed money in future years. For example, if Stewart were suspended, even for an on-field reason such as leading with the crown of the helmet or other similar penalties, that could eliminate future guarantees.
It is worth noting that the amount of money guaranteed as a roster bonus has increased significantly in recent years. — Baby
What are you hearing around the league?
This staredown has no end in sight, which brings some people around the league to a familiar refrain: same old Bengals. Cincinnati is also in a standoff with Trey Hendrickson, who, after leading the NFL in sacks last year, has vowed not to play under his current contract. Atlanta Falcons All-Pro safety Jessie Bates III left the Bengals in March 2023 after contract disputes.
“They are comfortable with the uncomfortable,” said one prominent NFL agent, who has previously negotiated with the Bengals front office. “They just don’t relent.”
Stewart and his agent, Zac Hiller, appear similarly dug in, which could create an entertaining summer. As multiple teams have pointed out, Stewart is in a difficult spot because a lengthy holdout jeopardizes a young pass rusher’s trajectory. But they also said that cooler heads usually prevail around training camp, and perhaps late July will bring clarity for both sides. — Fowler
Is this situation unique to the Bengals?
Kind of. According to a source with knowledge of the negotiations, the Bengals have examined similar language for other rookies around the NFL and believe the contract is the standard rookie deal. But part of Stewart’s disagreement is that the Bengals are trying to set a precedent with this year’s draft class regarding void language and guaranteed money.
Stewart isn’t the only unsigned Bengals draft pick. Linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr., the team’s second-rounder, also has not signed yet. But unlike Stewart, he has signed his participation waiver and participated in mandatory minicamp.
“I don’t want nothing more than what I deserve,” Stewart said Tuesday. “The way you’ve been doing it, just keep it the same way.
“I don’t care what nobody else is making. I don’t care how much money they’re getting. I don’t care. Just give me what y’all be giving to everybody else.” — Baby
What are the options for Stewart and the Bengals?
This is where things can get interesting. The Bengals hold Stewart’s rights, but the bargaining agreement signed between the league and the NFLPA allows for several scenarios that could play out.
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If the Bengals fail to sign Stewart by Aug. 5, 30 days before the start of the NFL’s regular season, Cincinnati can’t trade him.
The next major deadline is Nov. 11. Similar to the franchise tag, if Stewart has not signed his contract by then, he is ineligible to play for the rest of the season.
If Stewart never signs and sits out the season, he can re-enter the 2026 draft, where every team is eligible to pick him except one — the Bengals. If Stewart were to test NCAA rules and attempt a return to college or play in another professional league, such as the CFL or the XFL, the Bengals would retain his rights.
When asked by ESPN about such scenarios Tuesday, Stewart said he was unaware of them. — Baby
What are the Bengals saying?
After the team’s minicamp, Bengals coach Zac Taylor said he has had “positive conversations” with Stewart, and the team still remains optimistic about his future with the club. Taylor compared Stewart’s absence to the 2020 season when there were no offseason workouts because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“There’s still time to get work in, and I’m excited to get him to do that,” Taylor said.
Bengals center Ted Karras said that there is no resentment in the locker room toward Stewart.
And as a vice president for the NFLPA, Karras knows why Stewart has been so adamant to protect the guaranteed money as much as possible.
“It’s very nuanced,” Karras said. “I think from [an NFLPA] perspective, we always don’t want language and contracts that are going to be negative to players as far as guaranteed money. We’re always trying to [maximize] the amount of guarantees that guys get.” — Baby
