This could drag out a while.
Cincinnati Bengals first-round pass rusher Shemar Stewart is essentially the only healthy first-round pick not participating in offseason work with this new team. Stewart and the team still haven’t been able to come to an agreement on his rookie contract.
On the Business of Sports podcast, former NFL executive Andrew Brandt provided more detail about the holdup in negotiations.
“They’re (Bengals) basically putting in a default clause that says if the player defaults and a default could be a breach like a discipline issue, a steroid or drug test issue, a morals clause issue, getting in trouble, being suspended, being fined, whatever default is defined as, you can void future guarantees,” Brandt said.
“In other words, if this happens in Year 1, you can say, ‘Well, Years 2, 3, 4 are not guaranteed.’ And that is something the Bengals are trying to impose for their own precedent where they can do it now going forward with all rookies and maybe even with veterans.
“Shemar Stewart’s agent is saying ‘Nope. No sir, because last year you didn’t have the 17th pick, you had the 18th pick, and he didn’t have that.’ And in past years, players like Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, they didn’t have that.”
Essentially, the Bengals want to introduce new language in their contracts and Stewart has the misfortune of being the first player to negotiate with them with their new stance on voiding guarantees.
Brand continued, “The Bengals saying we’re trying to create the precedent. So this is the one that could last a while. Basically, it’s all about language,”
“That could go into training camp. I know there are all kinds of restrictions on holding out of training camp. And maybe the Bengals, who are known to be tough. You know, known to be very tough. Just hold the line, saying, ‘It’ll be here when you want to sign it.’ Players have no options down the road.
“What is he going to do? Not sign? Here we go.”
Stewart’s father, Mo Marquez, also weighed in on the issue, basically saying he just wants his son to get the same type of contract last year’s first-rounder, Amarius Mims, got.
It seems both sides are digging their heels in and not wanting to compromise. With each practice that takes place without Stewart participating, this story seems to get louder and louder.
Pair that with the Trey Hendrickson situation, and you have the Bengals in standoffs with two of their pass rushers.
This could be a matter of who caves first, and history suggests that it won’t be the Bengals.