The Bengals’ standoff with first-round pick Shemar Stewart kept him on the sidelines through mandatory minicamp amid a dispute over both his offseason participation agreement and his rookie contract.
Offseason participation agreements (or waivers) ensure that players are protected if they get injured during the team’s offseason program, including rookie minicamp, OTAs, and mandatory minicamp. Should an injury occur, the agreement guarantees that rookie contract negotiations continue in good faith so players can still receive the same deal as if they were not injured. That goal is explicitly stated in at least one other team’s agreement, but not the Bengals’, according to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio
Florio revealed two other major differences that could be disadvantageous to Stewart. First, the Bengals’ rookie waiver takes effect if the player “sustains a disabling NFL football-related injury.” Another team omits “disabling” to ensure that all injuries suffered by a player while participating in the offseason program are covered by the agreement.
Second, the other team includes a commitment that the player’s rookie contract “shall be commensurate” with their draft slot. Cincinnati does not include such a commitment. While rookie contract values are predetermined by draft slot, players can still negotiate for better guarantee or payment structures, which has been a key issue with Stewart’s deal.
In short, the Bengals’ offseason participation agreement “did not provide the same level of protection as other teams give their rookies,” according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. He said on the Rich Eisen Show that Bengals second-round pick Demetrius Knight initially refused to sign his waiver because of the same issue, though it was resolved by the second day of rookie minicamp. Importantly, the Bengals used the same language for 2024 first-round pick Amarius Mims last year, per Florio.
With Cincinnati’s offseason program complete, the rookie waiver itself no longer matters as it does not apply to training camp. Stewart will have to come to an agreement on his full contract to participate. However, the different language is still important. The Bengals wanted Stewart to sign the same waiver as Mims – with language that diverges from other teams – while asking him to accept language in his rookie deal that differs from Mims’ but matches other teams. Essentially, the Bengals were asking Stewart to accept worse terms relative to the rest of the league in his offseason participation agreement and worse terms relative to Cincinnati’s other first-round picks in his first rookie deal.
However, NFL contract negotiations are largely driven by existing team precedent. If the Bengals wanted to change their precedent in Stewart’s rookie deal to match other teams, they could have offered him better terms in his participation agreement that would do the same. That potential fix is now off the table, and Stewart has not budged from his position.
With those details now revealed, it is hardly surprising that Stewart would hold firm, especially given the franchise’s history of difficult, protracted negotiations with top players. If he were to give in to the Bengals’ desires, he would set a worse precedent for himself and both present and future teammates. Stewart’s stance also sends a clear message to Cincinnati’s front office that he will not be pushed around in future negotiations, either.
Pelissero believes that Stewart and the team will ultimately come to an agreement at or around the start of training camp, but it remains unclear what middle ground both sides would be willing to accept.
I sincerely doubt this is being 100% driven by Stewart. Most likely the agent.
Bungals continue to show their class
The Bengals are just the worst.
The Browns may have something to say about that. What’s up with these Ohio teams?
I’m a Browns fan so excuse my bias, but they’re significantly better at treating their players than the Bengals are. The Browns have plenty of issues, but taking care of their people usually isn’t one of them.
Except that franchise QB you ran off in favor of the sexual predator…..but sure.
Bengals are gonna Bengal. While fleecing the city and state for every dime they can get.
what’s up with this division ? bet the ravens can’t believe their luck as the other three teams seem intent on throwing their season away
It’s so on brand for the Bengals to have a rookie contract dispute in an era where rookie contract disputes are a thing of the past.
Well if Shi**mar wasn’t such a dumbs**t he would be practicing. One of his objections doesn’t matter anymore because rookie mini-camp is over. Another was included in Mims contract last year, so his crying about how he’s being treated differently than last year’s draft pick is ludicrous. And his last objection about voidable years is only NEW to Bengals contracts, several other teams use the exact same language in their contracts. But then all the whiners who cry about how the Bengals are run wouldn’t have anything to cry about. You get one side of the story, written by some half a**ed writer whose day job is working at Walmart and suddenly the sobbing and crying begins. “Boo hoo, the Bengals are the Bungles” (really original, been hearing that since 1969) , “Oh, they’re so poorly run, boo hoo,”. The fact remains that the Bengals are owned by Mike Brown, not you. He’s a millionaire and didn’t get that way and/or stay that way getting advice on how to run an NFL team from Joe the Mechanic, Tim the Metro driver, or Frank the Janitor. By the way, how many of you Einsteins have EVER negotiated a contract in the NFL? (counting hands) ZERO, just what I thought. Do some research on your own, so you will at least look halfway intelligent and stop whining because it makes you look like imbeciles.
You’re passion for this is admirable
Your* sorry
I hope you work for the team or are a relative of someone in the FO, otherwise this is just sad.
Thank you. Everybody wants to clown on the bengals but this is perfectly stated by you . I know Mike Brown can be shrewd but this isn’t anything new to the nfl . Doesn’t Abdul Carter have this same language in his contract ? S. Barkley ? Yea plenty of people do but let’s make this a bengals thing .
Just the Bengals being the Bengals…..
As a bengals fan this is absolutely and utterly embarrassing but this is the standard when you have clowns as ownership smh