Bengals rookie Shemar Stewart leaves team minicamp without contract

CINCINNATI (AP) — Cincinnati Bengals first-round pick Shemar Stewart’s hold-in escalated to a holdout on Thursday as he did not attend the final day of the team’s mandatory minicamp.

Stewart has expressed concern over language in the contract that the Bengals have presented him and hasn’t signed his rookie deal yet. He had been participating in meetings and off-field activities with the team but was just a spectator at practices. On Thursday, he went a step further and left the team facility before the end of the summer program.

“He wasn’t here today, so we just focus on the guys who are here,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said.

The Bengals selected Stewart with the 17th overall pick in the draft. The Bengals’ pass rush was a weak area last season even though Trey Hendrickson led the NFL in sacks, and Stewart has the opportunity to step in as a Week 1 starter on Sept. 7 at Cleveland.

But that can’t happen unless this contract dilemma gets sorted out.

“I think for all the rookies, you’d like them to be on the field,” Taylor said. “But certainly there’s things that happen over the course of an NFL career, and this is one of them right now. So he’s been in the meetings, he’s been positive, and we look forward to getting (him) back on the field.”

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Taylor said that he has communicated with Stewart but declined to share specifics. During Taylor’s coaching career, he hasn’t seen a rookie hold out in this way.

“There’s a first for everything,” Taylor said. “Every year, you kind of learn something new in this position. And this is 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.”

Hendrickson hasn’t been present at team workouts all offseason aside from one day where he attended a practice specifically to speak with reporters about his desire for a new contract. Without Hendrickson and Stewart, the Bengals have been missing two potential starting defensive ends on the practice field this summer.

Bengals defensive coordinator Al Golden described the processes that Hendrickson and Stewart are going through as very different.

“Our concern (with Stewart) is teaching him and making sure he’s learning,” Golden said. “He’s engaged, he’s on time. He’s had a great attitude in the meetings. That’s all we can control right now. I think it’s a lesson for him in the NFL — control what you can control. From our standpoint he’s done a good job in terms of the learning. We are as excited as anybody to get him out there.”

With Hendrickson, the Bengals will build their defense around the 2024 All-Pro whenever Hendrickson is back in the mix.

“Trey brings a developed skill set already to the pass game,” Golden said. “In a lot of ways, we have cultivate the defense around him, and we will. Trey’s intellect and his approach as a pro he’ll get caught up in those 47 days (of training camp) before the opener. I’m confident of that. Just looking forward to seeing him again and coaching him.”

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