Shemar Stewart draws line over Bengals contract language, not salary: Insider
Shemar Stewart has been getting a lot of attention, especially after he exited the Cincinnati Bengals minicamp on Thursday. The rookie defensive end left due to a contract dispute.
NFL insider Ian Rapoport explained the issue with more insight, saying that the tiff between Stewart and Cincinnati isn’t about salary. The bone of contention is a clause that the team inserted into his rookie contract, which could void future guarantees if specific criteria aren’t met.
“It's not money,” Rapoport said on Friday, via "Good Morning Football." “Money is not negotiated with these rookie deals. It is language that the Bengals have inserted. Stewart does not want to sign his deal with this language in the contract.”
Stewart, the No. 17 pick in April, is in unison with his agent Zach Hiller on the holdout.
“Because of that, Stewart and his agent Zach Hiller decided that he is not signing anytime soon,” Rapoport said.
The insider also highlighted that the Bengals' front office is at odds with another defensive end, Trey Hendrickson. While it argues that the clause is similar to what’s included in some deals, Stewart demands similar contracts for the team’s previous first-round picks, such as Myles Murphy and Amarius Mims.
Adam Schefter unpacks Shemar Stewart’s stand on Bengals contract clause
As the Bengals wrapped up minicamp, all eyes followed Shemar Stewart’s absence. The team’s first-round pick left camp early, and ESPN's Adam Schefter explained why.
According to Schefter, the root of the standoff isn’t about salary or signing bonuses. He blamed the clause that could jeopardize guaranteed money.
“The Bengals wanted to include a clause that basically said he would have to forfeit bonus money and guaranteed money if he was not on the roster through the length of that contract,” Schefter said on Thursday , via "The Pat McAfee Show. He doesn’t want to be the guinea pig here. He doesn’t want to set a precedent over some rookie.”
Stewart has been attending meetings and off-field sessions, as Zac Taylor highlighted in the press conference after minicamp. However, he’s opted out of all physical work until the contract details are resolved.