Shemar Stewart, Bengals are still at impasse

The Bengals and their 2025 first-round pick, defensive end Shemar Stewart, continue to be at odds over a fairly technical and esoteric portion of his contract.

Stewart’s agent, Zac Hiller, appeared on SiriusXM NFL Radio to discuss the situation.

“Obviously my job, and all agents’ job, is to protect the players,” Hiller said. “Simply put, Shemar would, of course, love for his contract to be as protective as the rest of his Bengals teammates in the past. And, simply put, the way the contract currently reads is not as protective.”

The issue relates to the team’s effort to change the language that would void future guarantees. They’re trying to foist more team-friendly terms on Stewart unilaterally, without making a corresponding concession.

“Contracts are based on precedent,” Hiller said. “So, when Shemar has never asked for anything more or less protective than any of his teammates, it’s a simple fix. It’s just say, ‘Hey, this is the precedent. Let’s keep the precedent.’”

There’s no indication that the Bengals are willing to offer Stewart anything to balance out the change in precedent.

“If you want to make changes to your precedent, it should be a negotiation,” Hiller said. “It should be give and take. It shouldn’t just be, ‘Hey, we’re changing this and sign it or go scratch.’”

Although Stewart is taking a stand, he wants to get the situation resolved.

“All he wants to do is be a Cincinnati Bengal,” Hiller said. “This guy was so excited to get drafted by Cincinnati. All he wants to do is be a Bengal. All he wanted to do was be on the field and show the Cincinnati fans the incredible specimen, person, football player that this team was lucky to draft where they drafted. And he’s not been allowed to do that.”

This isn’t the year for the Bengals to become stubborn about changing contract language that previously was acceptable. They need Stewart to be ready to go — especially if defensive end Trey Hendrickson doesn’t show up for training camp as part of a cash-based contract squabble.

But if the team and Hendrickson strike a deal as to money, there’s an interesting question that will eventually be addressed. Will the Bengals use their prior language regarding voids of guarantees? Or will they insist on the same language they’re trying to force Stewart to accept?