Shemar Stewart and the Cincinnati Bengals are still in a stalemate when it comes to negotiating his rookie contract over language that could affect his guaranteed payout. Stewart wants the language removed, which has happened before, and the Bengals are pushing back. This caused Stewart to leave mandatory camp a few weeks ago amid the dispute.
To make matters worse, Stewart’s agent, Zac Hiller is yapping on SiriusXM about the situation and pouring gasoline on a grease fire that is certainly not helping Stewart get any closer to coming to terms of his rookie deal with the Bengals. I understand why both parties are expressing their frustration, but they have to remember the Bengals hold all the cards here.
Cincinnati would like to sign their rookie EDGE rusher, especially if they are planning on parting ways with Trey Hendrickson. They have every incentive to sign Stewart, but they aren’t at his mercy. He is a rookie that wasn’t even considered one of the best first-round prospects, mind you. They don’t know what he’ll become so I understand them not willing to bend on technicalities within the contract language.
Shemar Stewart’s agent is only hurting his chances of playing for the Cincinnati Bengals
According to Mike Petraglia’s X platform account, Hiller said Stewart really wants to play for Cincinnati. Yet, Hiller’s actions, rather his words, paint a different picture. I respect that he wants to stand up for the player he’s representing, but there’s a better way to handle it. Gaslighting a team isn’t going to get things solved.
I respect Stewart for wanting to fight for every guaranteed dollar, but he has to get to a point where he realizes he’s not at that level to be aggressive in his negotiating tactics. Players like Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and even Joe Burrow all were well within their rights to be aggressive on their next contracts.
Stewart hasn’t even played an official snap yet, Cincinnati has no incentive to oblige, especially for a player that wasn’t even the best in the draft. Per Stewart’s NFL Draft profile, he was a developmental project that could grow into a starting role. He’s an elite and explosive athlete, he just didn’t have the production in college that you’d expect.
He had just 4.5 sacks in three seasons. That’s not the stats of a player that has negotiation power. The Bengals aren’t trying to take his money, just simply protect themselves in the event he’s a bust. And if there’s anything his college career told us, Stewart isn’t destined to be the next great EDGE rusher from Texas A&M.
I have no issues with Stewart ensuring he gets all the guaranteed money he feels he deserves. But at some point, one of the sides is going to have to fold. Stewart’s agent is doing everything he can to hurt Stewart’s negotiating power. The Bengals will wait it out as long as they have to for Stewart to come to their terms.