Shemar Stewart stands alone as NFL’s last unsigned first-round pick

Shemar Stewart remains the lone unsigned first-round pick from the 2025 NFL Draft. The Cincinnati Bengals' 17th overall pick is still stuck in a frustrating high-stakes contract standoff as training camps are just a few days away. With cornerback Jahdae Barron of the Denver Broncos officially signing his rookie deal, Stewart is now the only first-round rookie in limbo.

Stewart’s holdout began in June, when he left the Bengals' minicamp early, choosing not to participate in on-field drills until a deal was reached. The core of the issue centers not on the value of the deal, but rather on the actual language concerning voided guarantees. Stewart’s camp insists on receiving the same clauses granted to other first-round picks the Bengals have drafted, like Amarius Mims and Myles Murphy. They argue that new penalties would unfairly limit Stewart's future earning power. 

Despite the stagnant conversations, Stewart has remained focused on football. Recently, he has been working out individually at Texas A&M facilities, but with the team. This allows him to maintain physical readiness, even when he is not with the Bengals. This is an unconventional move that has sparked some speculation about a potential return to college or even delaying his NFL debut. Although this may seem far-fetched due to NCAA rules. 

On the Bengals' side of things, management has to be feeling the pressure. Head coach Zac Taylor has largely kept his mouth quiet on the conversation, but he has stated in recent weeks that he’s been in contact with Stewart. It seems that for a deal to get done, one side will have to cave in on the language of the contract. As of now, it appears that Stewart and his team have more leverage in the situation, as they could threaten to continue to hold out and potentially even go further by sitting out the 2025 season. 

As the saga unfolds, Stewart's options seem pretty simple: continue to sit out and wait for the Bengals to cave in, sit out the entire season, or somehow make his way back to college via a legal challenge. Each path carries career implications, but it may be a path that Stewart and his team pick. With Bengals camp underway, this standoff has become one of the biggest stories of the offseason, and as of now, we continue to wait.