"No signs of ending soon": 1 day after Shemar Stewart leaves minicamp, Adam Schefter weighs in on Bengals' standoff against rookie DE
The Shemar Stewart contract situation has become another issue for the Cincinnati Bengals during the 2025 NFL offseason. Added to the Trey Hendrickson contract standoff, the Bengals are now dealing with their rookie defensive end’s reluctance to take the field.
Stewart initially attended the mandatory minicamp this week, although only as an observer. Hendrickson has opted to stay away from the team while his contract situation gets sorted.
Shemar Stewart announced his departure from Thursday’s minicamp, sending a clear message that he won’t change his stance regarding his rookie deal. During Friday’s episode of ESPN’s “Get Up,” insider Adam Schefter told Laura Rutledge, Peter Schrager and Andrew Hawkins the latest on the saga,
"Well, this is an unusual situation," Schefter said. "It should not be difficult to get a deal done with a rookie first-round draft pick, yet, in this particular case, for various reasons, it is. The Bengals are trying to get language that they haven't had in their contracts before that other teams have used that would void guarantees if, essentially, he got cut at some point during his career.
"Also, Shamar Stewart has hesitated and refused to sign an injury waiver, which most rookies just go out and sign, that protects them in the event of injury at a minicamp... And so this whole situation has gotten more and more muddled as it has gone along, and shows no signs of ending soon, despite the fact that it should be relatively simple to sign a first-round draft pick." (1:00)
Shemar Stewart is coming off a three-year collegiate tenure. He played 37 games with Texas A&M, posting 65 tackles, 12 for loss, 4.5 sacks and one forced fumble. He’s expected to take over from Hendrickson, as the Bengals have yet to agree with the veteran, but both players are in the same situation at this point.
Shemar Stewart could be drafted again in 2026
Shemar Stewart might not be out of options to start his NFL career, but one of them could make him wait another year. Pro Football Talk pointed out Thursday that the rookie pass rusher could enter the 2026 NFL draft as a last resort, according to the league’s collective bargaining agreement.
If he sits out the 2025 season, Stewart could hear his name called again next year, with the exception that the Bengals would not be allowed to select him.