All of this was for what?
Shemar Stewart signed his rookie contract with the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday and practiced with the team for the first time on Sunday morning. He missed the first few days of training camp and all of OTAs this offseason.
His holdout came about because the team added language to his contract that would void future guarantees should certain situations arise, like off-field issues. Many teams across the league have similar language, but the Bengals’ first-round pick in 2024, Amarius Mims, did not. Therefore, Stewart and his agent felt as if he should not either, especially considering he was selected one spot ahead of Mims.
I get it. I do.
I also get the Bengals’ position.
Here’s what I don’t get: This whole thing ended with $500,000 of his signing bonus being given up front.
How was a half-million dollars, chump change in the NFL, not offered on Day 1 of the holdout? If it was offered, why accept now and not then? The whole thing is weird. It makes it look like there were no actual negotiations that took place over the last month, just the Bengals yelling “YES” and Stewart yelling “NO” until they’re both blue in the face.
But it’s over now.
Stewart will make us all forget about it if he produces on the field, but if he doesn’t, fans will hold on to this. I remember Andre Smith’s holdout, back before the current CBA. He finally signed and then immediately got injured. He never lived up to his No. 6 overall billing and when Bengals fans look back at his career, their memories are highlighted by his holdout (and his shirtless 40-yard dash at the Combine).
I hope Sherman goes on to have a long and productive career, all in a Bengals’ uniform, but he’s starting off in a hole that seems to have been dug for $500,000.
Oh well.
Now the team can focus entirely on Trey Hendrickson. I do think they’ll get a deal done, but I don’t think it will happen until we get closer to the first preseason game. That way, Hendrickson misses some of the dog days of summer at camp, and it’ll give the two sides some time to figure things out.
The Bengals, who finished with the eighth-least amount of sacks in the 2024 season, can’t allow the guy who had half of them, and is the league’s defending sack leader, to leave, regardless of whether Stewart is signed or not. On the other side, Hendrickson is on the wrong side of 30, and data shows edge rushers slow down when they hit the third decade. Holding out this whole season could amount to his retirement.
Both sides really do kinda need each other, and it would be nice to see Hendrickson retire with a Bengals uniform on.
Some random thoughts now that training camp has begun:
- The offense looks good. Joe Burrow doesn’t look like he’s skipped a beat, and he has the best duo of wide receivers in the league, both of whom he is extremely familiar with.
- The defense is completely unknown to me, and it will continue to be until I see game action. There are too many new players at new positions, and a secondary full of players who missed the 2024 season due to injury, including Dax Hill, who is a corner still mostly in theory at this point.
- I think Chase Brown is up for a breakout season. The offensive line is, in theory, better, and Brown has elite top-end speed. He just needs a little space to get going. Teams are going to be so focused on Burrow, Chase, Higgins and the passing game that Brown and a running game could really take off.
- If that happens, and defenses have to account for the running game, Burrow could be even more effective than he was in 2024. I hear the MVP chants.
- I am very excited for Year 2 of Mike Gesicki. Right now, I see him as more of a WR3 than any of the other wide receivers on the roster.
- Evan McPherson comeback season loading……
- I’m anxious to see the first official Bengals’ depth chart, mostly because I want to see who is listed as the starting guard.
- There is an NFL game on Thursday!
- The Bengals play just one week after that!
Who Freaking Dey!?!
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Guess who’s back in town?
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