Shemar Stewart sat out the Bengals’ rookie minicamp as a result of the fact he has yet to sign his initial NFL contract. The structure of the pact was at the heart of the issue, and that is still the case. 
Stewart has attended meetings during voluntary offseason work, but Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports he has yet to participate in any on-field practices. Stewart’s aim is for his pact to match the language of the Bengals’ two most recent Day 1 selections. That affects matters like the timing of bonus payments, whereas the value of his base salary and signing bonus are determined by draft slot.
The Bengals selected Stewart 17th overall, adding an option to complement Trey Hendrickson in 2025 and potentially replace him as the team’s top edge rusher after that point. The Texas A&M product’s rookie deal will match that of right tackle Amarius Mims (the No. 18 pick in 2024) and fellow defensive end Myles Murphy (No. 28 in 2023) if his request is granted. Disputes similar to this one have not been entirely eliminated in the rookie wage scale era, but it is still notable this situation has resulted in an ongoing holdout.
Hendrickson, of course, is seeking a new arrangement of his own with one year remaining on his pact. The reigning NFL sack leader is angling for guarantees beyond 2025, a bridge the Bengals have not historically been willing to cross (with a small number of recent exceptions). Even if Hendrickson remains in the fold for the coming year and beyond, increased production in the pass rush department will be required on a defense needing to improve in several areas moving forward.
Stewart may not be in position to help in that regard right away after he totaled just 4.5 sacks in college. Still, the 6-5, 267-pounder’s draft stock was helped by his Combine performance and athletic profile, and over the long term he could grow into a key figure on defense for years to come. Stewart’s (on-field) development will not begin until his contract situation sees a resolution, however.