As NFL rookies around the league report to training camp with visions of stardom in their eyes, one of the most highly touted rookies in the 2025 class is notably absent. Defensive end Shemar Stewart, the No. 17 overall pick by the Cincinnati Bengals, remains unsigned as training camp begins — a rare contract standoff in an era designed to prevent them.
This impasse, stemming from disputes over bonus structure and guarantee language rather than salary itself, has placed Stewart in the spotlight and the Bengals front office under scrutiny. For Cincinnati, it’s a situation that feels both modern and familiar — echoing some of the most infamous rookie contract delays in NFL history, including the cautionary tale of JaMarcus Russell.
The source of the standoff:
Shemar Stewart and the Bengals have been dealing with this dispute ever since the beginning of rookie minicamp and now have failed to reach a contract agreement by the deadline. While rookie contracts have been largely standardized since the 2011 collective bargaining agreement, disputes still emerge over contract language, timing of payouts, and protection clauses.
The holdout is not about the dollar amount — Stewart’s slotted deal is projected to be worth approximately $16.8 million over four years with $9+ million signing bonus. Instead, Stewart’s camp is contesting:
- Voidable clauses in guarantees, which would allow the Bengals to recoup money if Stewart were to face a suspension or legal trouble, even without conviction.
- Delayed bonus payouts, with Cincinnati reportedly offering a structure less favorable than what other top-20 picks received this year.
- Participation agreement issues, which had already caused Stewart to skip OTA sessions in June due to concerns over injury protections during voluntary workouts.
Stewart is the only first-rounder still unsigned as camps open.
Mike Brown’s old-school tactics
Bengals owner Mike Brown, long knowing for his conservative contract philosophy, only stoked the flames further when he publicly commented, “If he’s sitting jail, I don’t think I want to be paying him,” in reference to the void in the contract clause issue. While Stewart has no known off-field issues, the implication cast a shadow over the negotiations and has been widely viewed as inflammatory and unnecessary.
Brown’s comments prompted backlash from fans, agents and former players alike, many of whom argued that such public posturing only breeds mistrust between the player and organization. For Stewart — widely regarded as a high character, hard-working athlete — it felt like an attack on his integrity just because of his agent having backup plans from his client.
Shemar Stewart: A star in the making
The situation is all the more frustrating given Stewart’s talent. A former five-star recruit out of Miami, he starred at Texas A&M, where he tailed 9.5 tacks and 19 tackles for loss over his final two seasons there. At 6-foot-4 and 280 pounds, with elite burst and violent hands, he was viewed as one of the most pro ready defensive linemen in the 2025 draft.
The Bengals selected Stewart with the expectation that he’d immediately boost a defensive front that lost depth this offseason. His absence from camp delays his development into their defensive scheme and giving him much needed NFL reps
Echoes of the past
Stewart’s situation is hugely unusual in the post-2011 CBA landscape, where rookie contracts are mostly slotted, but when disputes over language arise, they can spiral — as seen in some of the NFL’s most high-profile rookie holdouts.
JaMarcus Russell (Raiders, 2007)
No comparison is more infamous than that of JaMarcus Russell, the No.1 pick by the Oakland Raiders in 2007. Russell missed 61 days of camp and the first week of the season in a length dispute over guaranteed money and contract structure. He eventually signed a six year, $61 million deal — but the missed time hurt his development. Russell was out of the league by 2010 and is now widely considered one of the biggest busts in NFL history.
While Stewart’s situation is less financially extreme, the structure of the argument — guarantees and payout schedule vs. playing development — is eerily familiar. The lesson: development time lost during camp is hard to regain.
Marcus Mariota (Titans, 2015)
The Titans and Mariota sparred over offset language in his deal. The standoff lasted into training camp, but the two sides reached a compromise before preseason action began. Mariota started Week 1.
Joey Bosa (Chargers, 2016)
Bosa’s month-long holdout with the Chargers also centered on bonus payout timing and offset language — very similar to Stewart’s issue. After signing late in August, Bosa still managed to win Defensive Rookie of the Year honors.
These cases prove that even in the modern NFL, contract standoffs can have both short- and long term consequences. Stewart’s case is among the offseason’s biggest blunders — whether or not Stewart deserves that label.
Sports insiders believe there’s still a path to resolution. The Bengals could follow the precedent they set with second round pick Demetrius Knight, who received 75 percent of his bonus upfront. If they extend the same structure to Stewart, the contract could be finalized quickly.
Conversely, Stewart’s camp may eventually relent slightly on the voidable clause in exchange for stronger injury protections or an accelerated bonus payout. Most rookie holdouts end before preseason begins — but the window is closing fast.
Shemar Stewart’s holdout is more than just a player versus team squabble — it’s a case study in the modern NFL’s evolving contract dynamics. While the rookie wage scale was designed to simplify negotiations, disputes over guarantees, void clauses, and cash flow still have the power to derail progress.
If Stewart can sign within the next week, this saga may fade quietly into the background. If not, it risks becoming the next example of a preventable standoff that slows a promising career before it even begins.
For now, all eyes remain on Cincinnati, where one of the NFL’s most talented rookies is on the outside looking in — still waiting for the pen to meet paper.