The maddening truth behind Bengals' Shemar Stewart contract drama

The Cincinnati Bengals are backed into a corner when it comes to negotiating with Shemar Stewart. They don’t have a lot of things they can negotiate so that the two sides can meet in the middle. 

With Stewart’s insistence on focusing on the contract language of the past Bengals’ first-round deals, he is ignoring what is happening around him. 

The 16th and 18th picks of the most recent draft, defensive lineman Walter Nolan and offensive lineman Grey Zabel, signed their contracts with the same language that Stewart is opposed to. The third overall pick, edge rusher Abdul Carter, also has that stipulation in his contract. Yet, Stewart's representation chooses to concentrate on what the Bengals did in the past, but not on what the NFL is doing today. 

Because of the rookie slotting for first-round draft picks, salaries are tucked away inside the NFL’s caste system. The Bengals can’t argue that, but you have to take last year’s money as well. Stewart’s money and guarantees are a part of a system implemented since 2011. But they should be able to insist on last year’s pay scale if Stewart is insisting on the previous year’s structure. 

The Bengals are doing what most claim that they want them to do this offseason. This clause that the national media is clucking about proves that Cincinnati is moving with the league. Yet somehow, their reputation remains a liability.

If Cincinnati had drafted Abdul Carter instead of Stewart, we might not be having this conversation. Or we could, because it's more about the Bengals than the clause.

What can Bengals rookie Shemar Stewart give up in negotiations?

In negotiations, you have to give and take. The Bengals can cave and say, 'Fine, we will wait until next year to include that clause.' But what can they get in return? 

Cincinnati could structure the contract in a way that makes the majority of the guaranteed money, intertwined with a roster bonus in the fourth year, payable on Aug. 31 or Week 1 of the 2028 season. No, Stewart representatives would not go for something like that.

Zac Hiller and LAA Sports and Entertainment could accept less guaranteed money and invest more in incentives. That is what Trey Hendrickson’s agents should have done. However, it is unlikely that this is something that Stewart’s representation would do.

But, they must give something to get what they want. That is, unless they believe it's their way or nothing at all as they try to run roughshod over what most people would argue to be one of the most stubborn ownership groups in the NFL. 

The popular thing to do this offseason is to dunk on the Bengals' front office. The most prevalent arguments are that they are cheap and do not keep up with the times. However, now that they are keeping up with the times, they appear cheap.

That is crazy talk around a team that made Joe Burrow the highest-paid quarterback in history at the time of his signing, anointed Ja’Marr Chase the highest-paid non-quarterback player in NFL history, extended his running mate, Tee Higgins, in the same offseason. There are also new reports of talks resuming between the team and Trey Hendrickson.  

The Bengals' front office and Stewart's representation must work together to find a solution. Each side may need to relinquish something they do not want to get a deal done. Or, Stewart can re-enter the draft again next year, which would run the risk of a team with this language already in their contracts for first-rounders selecting him in 2026. Then all of this will have been for nothing.

Hopefully, something will get worked out by the time rookies report to training camp. If not, this situation could get far more uncomfortable before the two sides resolve their differences.