NFL Trade Rumors
Bengals HC Zac Taylor was asked about the contract of first-round pass rusher Shemar Stewart, including the rookie’s comments that the team wants to “win arguments more than winning games.”
“There’s a first for everything,” Taylor said of the contract squabble, via NFL.com. “Every year, you kinda learn something new in this position, and this is just one of those things that the players have managed really well. We keep the team moving, and when he jumps on the field, that’ll be great for our team.”
Asked if he’d prefer Stewart had kept the matter in-house, Taylor tap-danced around the question.
“I think there’s education that happens with all the rookies that we do our best to educate them,” Taylor added. “No. 1, we want to protect our team and our locker room. I understand when there’s some frustration there. That’s how he chose to do it. That’s his prerogative. We look forward to getting him back in the fold. I think for all the rookies, you’d like them to be out on the field, but certainly, there’s things that happen over the course of an NFL career, and this is one of them right now. He’s been in the meetings, he’s been positive in that way. He’s been learning. He’s a good learner. We look forward to getting him back on the field quickly.”
Browns K Dustin Hopkins had a phenomenal season for the team in 2023, but in 2024, he ended up having the worst season of his career as he quickly went from automatic to unreliable.
“I think as far as thought process on the field, I had to change it up a little bit the last couple of weeks,” Hopkins told the Akron Beacon-Journal. “And it seemed like it was beneficial, but it was something I’d never done in-game before. So it’s just like, I guess, add another thing to the toolbox and you hope that translates into next year. And I was really just trying to finish the year, thinking about trying to build into next year.”
Ultimately, the Browns kept Hopkins around and haven’t added any serious competition for him, indicating their confidence in his ability.
“Yeah, I think with any player, you know, it’s a new season,” ST coordinator Bubba Ventrone said. *“Everything that you’ve done in the past, obviously, those things contribute and matter, but we’re a clean slate. I feel like he’s in a good space mentally. I think that he has hit the ball well in the spring to this point. Had a nice day yesterday and we’re just gonna keep working it like we have and understand that it’s a process, and we’re gonna get to where we’re going. I think that he’s been consistent in his entire career. He really has. He had a great year in ‘23, [then] for whatever reason did not have a great year this past year. And I think that he’s put it to bed, and as long as...
