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The Cincinnati Bengals are currently gearing up for what they hope will be a bounce back season in 2025-26. The Bengals recently drafted defensive end Shemar Stewart out of Texas A&M in the first round of the NFL Draft, but Stewart has yet to sign his rookie contract with the team.
At one point, Stewart was one of several 2025 draftees who had yet to sign his rookie contract; however, he is now the last first round pick remaining in that department after Denver Broncos rookie Jahdae Barron recently signed his contract with the team, per Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network (via Grant Gordon of NFL.com).
Gordon reported that Stewart’s standoff with the Bengals has “reportedly been about guaranteed dollars.”
The Bengals could certainly use all of hte hlep along the defensive line that they can get. At one point, it looked like the team may be moving on from star Trey Hendrickson after his recent trade request; however, no trade has yet materialized and it appears that the two sides may end up coming to terms on a new contract.
Stewart showed every bit of his raw talent and athleticism during his time with the Aggies in college, and even though he might not be the most polished prospect in this year’s draft, he certainly has the potential to wreak havoc down the line at the NFL level.
That is, if he ever ends up signing his contract.
The Bengals’ ownership has a history of being notoriously frugal when it comes to dishing out money to their players, and the fact that this has trickled all the way down to a rookie on his very first NFL contract is certainly not a great look for the franchise.
The Bengals have missed the playoffs for two straight seasons since their appearance in the 2022-23 AFC Championship Game, where they lost in a thriller to Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Joe Burrow remains one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, but there’s only so much he can do if the defense remains as porous as it was last season.
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