“I’m not asking for nothing y’all have never done before.” With that one line, Shemar Stewart made it clear he’s not backing down. The recent Bengals draft pick didn’t mince words in June when talking to Sports Illustrated‘s Jay Morrison. “I’m 100 percent right,” he added. “But in y’all case, y’all just want to win arguments more than winning more games.” And now, with contract talks stalling, Cincinnati’s on the clock—and Stewart might walk.
Stewart isn’t budging, and honestly, who can blame him? He knows his worth and doesn’t want to be the first rookie to fold under a new team policy—especially with a four-year, $18.9 million deal on the table that includes a fifth-year team option. The conflict isn’t about the total value—it’s about the structure. Bengals beat reporter, Kelsey Conway, explained it best on Twitter: “The Bengals are trying to add a new clause. Contracts that protects the team in terms of future guarantees and Shemar Stewart is saying I don’t believe that I should be the guinea pig that you introduced this new language with because I was taken a pick higher than Marius Mims and I want what he has.” It’s not just a contract—it’s a stand. And Stewart’s making his.
There’s finally an update. Kelsey Conway made it clear that the clock is ticking. She pointed out that rookies are expected to report to Cincinnati this Saturday, which now serves as the firm deadline for completing a deal. “There has been no progress made on both sides as far as a deal getting done,” Conway noted, adding, “The team is supposed to start training camp next Wednesday, so it is crunch time for the Bengals and Stewart.” With Saturday looming, time is running out fast.
But what if the contract doesn’t get signed by Saturday? Then Stewart won’t be eligible to play at all in the 2025 season. And if things stay unresolved until the 2026 draft, Stewart could re-enter the draft, and any team, except the Bengals, could choose him. Surprisingly, Stewart’s not alone in this contract stage. Bengals veteran Trey Hendrickson remains unsigned going into his second season, despite participating in minicamp.
Worried this might spiral out of control? Well, there’s still room for optimism. Jason Owens of Yahoo Sports pointed out that when it comes to rookie contracts, “there’s very little to negotiate.” That’s the nature of the rookie wage scale. However, some still believe a middle ground exists. Former NFL agent and CBS Sports analyst Joel Corry proposed a fix. The Bengals could get their language if they sweeten the deal elsewhere. “A potential way for the Bengals to get their desired language is to give Stewart a better signing bonus payment schedule than their most recent first-round picks,” Corry wrote. The issue? So far, there’s no indication the Bengals are willing to offer anything in return.
Shemar Stewart’s Texas A&M return sparks questions
While contract talks remain stalled, a new rumor has started swirling—could Shemar Stewart return to Texas A&M? It raised eyebrows when he was spotted training on campus. But Cincinnati Enquirer’s Kelsey Conway quickly cleared the air, saying, “Shemar Stewart lives in Texas when he’s not in Cincinnati. I can confirm from a source that he is training at A&M by himself, using their facilities (very common) to get ready for the upcoming NFL season. Not with the Texas A&M team.”
Still, the question lingers—could he go back and play college football again? Bud Elliott, from CBS reports, said Stewart “could try to come back and play again this season and go into the draft again next year.” That alone was enough to keep the rumor mill churning. It’s not unheard of for players to consider unconventional paths when contract talks stall. Stewart’s situation is already enough to raise that possibility.
But not so fast. Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio shut that door pretty firmly. “NCAA rules would prevent a return, now that Stewart has been drafted,” he explained. Technically, Stewart could attempt it, but doing so could bring legal consequences. Even if Shemar Stewart returns to school in 2025, the Bengals still keep his NFL rights through the first draft eligibility. In short, things aren’t that simple, and Shemar Stewart won’t be heading back to campus anytime soon.
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