Cincinnati Bengals News & Rumors

Bengals’ Shemar Stewart Departs Final Day Of Minicamp

Shemar Stewart has yet to take the field in spring practices, and he remains unsigned at this point. The first-round Bengals rookie had remained with the team up to this point, but that changed on Thursday.

Stewart departed the Bengals this morning, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. Team and player remain engaged in a stalemate stemming from certain clauses in his rookie contract. Stewart has yet to sign his pact, one which the Bengals are attempting to differentiate from that of recent Day 1 selections Myles Murphy and Amarius Mims.

Specifically, Cincinnati’s stance that a default at any point of the contract will automatically void the remainder of the pact has become a public point of contention in this situation. Stewart attended the first two days of minicamp while remaining sidelined, drawing praise from his teammates for taking a stand against the team’s proposed contract structure. With it becoming clear no resolution would be coming in the immediate future, Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer notes Stewart’s departure was aimed at not creating a further distraction.

Thursday marks the third and final day of minicamp and thus the last practice session before training camp next month. No major team meetings or other events will be missed as a result of Stewart’s absence (h/t Sports Illustrated’s Jay Morrison). The Texas A&M product’s attention will remain focused on trying to leverage a deal congruent with those Murphy and Mims received, although he has limited leverage in doing so.

Nonetheless, today’s news means both Stewart and fellow edge rusher Trey Hendrickson will have missed all on-field work during OTAs and minicamp. The latter is angling for an extension after posting a second straight 17.5-sack season. Hendrickson is owed $16MM in the final year of his deal (whereas the top of the EDGE market now sits at $40MM annually) and has threatened to hold out into the regular season absent an extension. Such a development would place increased importance on Stewart, but this year’s No. 17 pick has yet to take any reps so far.

“I think for all the rookies, you’d like them to be on the field,” head coach Zac Taylor said of the Stewart situation (via Pro Football Talks’ Myles Simmons). “But certainly, there’s things that happen over the course of an NFL career and this is one of them right now. So, he’s been in the meetings, he’s been positive that way. He’s been a good learner. And we look forward to getting him back on the field quickly.”

Taylor declined to offer any predictions on when an agreement will be struck with Stewart. Plenty of time remains until training camp, though, meaning this standoff could continue for at least another several weeks.

Shemar Stewart Attends Bengals Minicamp, Won’t Practice

As Shemar Stewart continues to engage in a unique contract dispute with the Bengals, the first-round rookie will not practice with his new squad. However, Stewart was in the building for the first day of mandatory minicamp.

[RELATED: Details Revealed Regarding Shemar Stewart-Bengals Contract Dispute]

According to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com, the rookie defensive lineman was in attendance for the start of minicamp today, but he doesn’t intend to hit the practice field until he inks his rookie contract. The stare down has gone on for more than a month, as the player’s camp pushes against a clause that would “turn a default in any given year into a void of all remaining guarantees” (per Florio).

This is a new tactic from the Bengals front office, as recent Day 1 picks signed contracts that simply voided the guarantees for the year in which the default occurred. Cincinnati also apparently proposed a payment schedule that did not match that of Myles Murphy and Amarius Mims, the team’s first-round picks in 2023 and 2024. That issue seems to have been resolved.

This seems like a relatively minor detail that could be hammered out quickly, but the two sides continue to struggle to find common ground on the generally straight-forward rookie pact. Even Stewart admitted to reporters that he expected to be on the practice field by now.

“Very bad,” Stewart responded when asked how badly he wants to practice (via Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer). “I’ve been doing this for most of my whole life, then all of a sudden it’s gone over something very simple to fix. It’s kind of disappointing.”

As the rookie pushes back against a new precedent set by the Bengals front office, he has the support of the locker room. Stewart told reporters that his veteran teammates have told him he’s doing the right thing by pushing for a more traditional rookie contract (via Jay Morrison of BengalsTalk.com).

Stewart’s dispute with the organization comes as Trey Hendrickson is in a public showdown with the organization. The rookie pointed to his veteran teammate’s absence when addressing his own “hold-in.”

“We all agree Trey will be alright,” Stewart said (via Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports). “But technically he’s still 1% wrong for being under contract. In my case, I’m 100% right.”

Considering the uncertainty surrounding Hendrickson’s future in Cincy, the Bengals would surely want their first-round pick on the practice field sooner than later. Still, it sounds like neither side is inclined to blink, meaning this staring contest could continue for the foreseeable future.

Trey Hendrickson Absent From Bengals’ Minicamp

Tuesday marked the beginning of the Bengals’ mandatory minicamp. In a development which comes as little surprise, the team’s top remaining extension priority is absent.

Edge rusher Trey Hendrickson is away from the team, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. The reigning sack leader has been engaged in a long-running stalemate with Cincinnati over an extension. One year remains on his contract, but planned talks on a major raise have not resulted in much progress toward an agreement.

[RELATED: Details On Shemar Stewart’s Rookie Contract Dispute]

The most recent effort on the Bengals’ part came when the team reached out to Hendrickson’s camp yesterday, per Dianna Russini of The Athletic. She adds, though, that the latest communication between the parties did not yield traction on the extension front. Head coach Zac Taylor previously alerted Hendrickson to the threat of fines for skipping this week’s minicamp. That move prompted a public airing of grievances from the All-Pro, who said last month he will not play under his existing pact.

Plenty of time remains to see if that will end up holding true, but team and player are not in a favorable position at this point. Hendrickson was unable to generate talks on a new deal last offseason, and the Bengals dismissed the trade request which followed. The 30-year-old upped his leverage with a second straight 17.5-sack campaign in 2024, although his stance of preferring to remain in Cincinnati has no doubt hindered his efforts to approach the top of the EDGE market.

$40MM per season now represents the ceiling for the position’s market. It is unclear what Hendrickson and his camp have listed as an asking price, but it was recently reported the Bengals have yet to offer a pact at or around $35MM on average. Cincinnati has already committed to big-ticket receiver deals this offseason (with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins each receiving four-year contracts), and Hendrickson always represented the No. 3 priority on that front.

Unlike 2024, the four-time Pro Bowler received permission to seek a trade this offseason. Plenty of interest has been shown, but at this point a deal sending him out of Cincinnati is not expected. With Hendrickson due to collect $16MM as things stand, a holdout will remain on the table in the absence of progress on an extension agreement. Presuming he remains absent for all three days of minicamp, Hendrickson will be subject to over $104K in fines.

Bengals Release LB Germaine Pratt

As expected, Germaine Pratt will not be with the Bengals in 2025. The veteran linebacker will be released today, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. The team has since confirmed the move.

Throughout the offseason, signs have pointed to a parting of ways in this case. Pratt has loomed as a release candidate for months, and today’s move will allow him to hit the open market ahead of training camp. The 29-year-old requested a trade in February, but no agreement was worked out with an interested team. Now, the sides will move on after six years together.

One season remained on Pratt’s contract, but none of his scheduled base salary was guaranteed. Instead of keeping the former third-rounder in place at a cap hit of $8.18MM, the Bengals will take the financial benefits of this move. Cutting Pratt after June 1 will generate $5.85MM in savings while incurring a dead money charge of $2.33MM.

Since the start of last month, a release has been seen as an inevitability. Cincinnati will continue to rely heavily on Logan Wilson as a productive contributor at the second level of the defense in 2025. That marks the first season with Al Golden in place as defensive coordinator, and he will have a pair of rookies in place at the linebacker spot. Second-rounder Demetrius Knight Jr. is in position to replace Pratt as a starter.

Golden’s predecessor, Lou Anarumo, now finds himself in charge of the Colts’ defense. To little surprise, Sports Illustrated’s Jay Morrison notes Indianapolis is a logical landing spot for Pratt. The team lost E.J. Speed in free agency, and with more than $20MM in cap space a low-cost Pratt signing aimed at inserting him into the starting lineup should not be a challenge.

After taking on a first-team role midway through his rookie campaign, Pratt remained a mainstay on defense through the remainder of his Bengals career. The NC State product has increased his tackle total every year, and he hit double-digits in that respect over each of the past two campaigns. With seven interceptions and 23 pass deflections to his name, production against the pass will also be expected once he lands with a new team.

The Bengals entered Monday mid-pack in the NFL in terms of cap space, but once the Pratt move is processed they will have additional funds available. It will be interesting to see if a linebacker addition winds up being made from outside the organization or if Cincinnati’s in-house options will be relied on to fill the vacancy.

Bengals Yet To Offer $35MM Per Year To Trey Hendrickson

Well into the 2025 offseason, the Trey Hendrickson situation remains far from resolved. A trade sending the reigning NFL sack leader away from the Bengals is not expected by those around the league, but it remains to be seen if an extension agreement will be worked out.

Hendrickson’s efforts to land a lucrative new pact last spring were unsuccessful, and his trade request did not result in talks with interested teams taking place. This time around, the situation changed with the Bengals allowing the All-Pro to seek a trade. Cincinnati set a high asking price, and multiple offers were turned down as an illustration of the team’s desire to keep him in place for at least one more year.

Talks on a long-term pact have not gone according to plan, and both team and player have gone public with their remarks on the state of negotiations. A holdout is a possibility at this point (as is usually the case in at least a few situations around the league this time of year), and Hendrickson himself said last month talks are on hold. Finances will of course be critical in determining how this situation unfolds.

The top of the edge rush market now sits at $40MM annually. While Hendrickson would be hard-pressed to match the value of Myles Garrett‘s new deal, he could aim for one closer to the $35MM-per-season mark. The likes of Danielle Hunter, Maxx Crosby and Nick Bosa are each near that figure, and Hendrickson could look to join them. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated writes, however, that the Bengals have yet to offer a deal with an AAV at or around $35MM.

As things stand, Hendrickson is due to collect $16MM in 2025 as a result of the short-term arrangement previously made with the team. The 30-year-old faced the opportunity of playing his way into a much more valuable pact last season, and he certainty did so by posting 17.5 sacks for the second straight season. That total helped earn him a fourth straight Pro Bowl nod and brought his Bengals total to 57 in 63 games. A notable raise is in store, but it remains to be seen how far into a new pact the team will be willing to go with respect to guaranteed compensation.

Quarterback Joe Burrow has maintained his support for a Hendrickson extension this offseason, and Breer predicts a deal will ultimately be worked out. Plenty of work remains in this case, though, and it will be interesting to see if the Bengals up their offer when negotiations pick up and if doing so helps to facilitate an agreement.

2025 NFL Cap Space, By Team

This week started with a point on the NFL calendar that has been important for decades. Although teams have not needed to wait until June to make their most expensive cuts in many years, they do not see the funds from post-June 1 designations until that point.

With June 1 coming and going, a fourth of the league has seen the savings from post-June 1 releases arrive. That has affected the NFL’s cap-space hierarchy. Here is how every team stands (via OverTheCap) following June 2 changes:

  1. New England Patriots: $67.34MM
  2. San Francisco 49ers: $53.49MM
  3. Detroit Lions: $40.12MM
  4. New York Jets: $39.8MM
  5. Las Vegas Raiders: $36.16MM
  6. Arizona Cardinals: $32.11MM
  7. Dallas Cowboys: $32.11MM
  8. Pittsburgh Steelers: $31.88MM
  9. Seattle Seahawks: $31.21MM
  10. Tennessee Titans: $30.16MM
  11. Green Bay Packers: $28.94MM
  12. Cincinnati Bengals: $27.08MM
  13. Los Angeles Chargers: $26.83MM
  14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $26.63MM
  15. Jacksonville Jaguars: $26.54MM
  16. Philadelphia Eagles: $25.79MM
  17. New Orleans Saints: $22.62MM
  18. Washington Commanders: $21.13MM
  19. Indianapolis Colts: $20.09MM
  20. Los Angeles Rams: $19.44MM
  21. Baltimore Ravens: $18.95MM
  22. Carolina Panthers: $18.69MM
  23. Minnesota Vikings: $18.49MM
  24. Cleveland Browns: $18.2MM
  25. Houston Texans: $16.3MM
  26. Denver Broncos: $16.23MM
  27. Chicago Bears: $14.76MM
  28. Miami Dolphins: $13.81MM
  29. Kansas City Chiefs: $10.75MM
  30. Atlanta Falcons: $5.02MM
  31. New York Giants: $3.82MM
  32. Buffalo Bills: $1.69MM

The Jets saw their situation change the most from post-June 1 designations, as $13.5MM became available to the team after its Aaron Rodgers and C.J. Mosley cuts. Teams have up to two post-June 1 designations at their disposals. Five clubs — the Jets, Browns, Ravens, Eagles and 49ers — used both slots. Only three other teams made a post-June 1 cut before that seminal date. The eight that made these moves will have dead money split between 2025 and 2026.

Baltimore used the cost-defraying option to release Marcus Williams and Justin Tucker, while Cleveland — in Year 4 of the regrettable Deshaun Watson partnership — used it to move on from Juan Thornhill and Dalvin Tomlinson. As the Eagles’ option bonus-heavy payroll included two hefty bonus numbers for Darius Slay and James Bradberry, the reigning Super Bowl champions released both 30-something cornerbacks. Together, Slay and Bradberry will count more than $20MM on Philadelphia’s 2026 cap sheet. As for this year, though, the Browns, Eagles, Ravens and 49ers respectively saved $9.85MM, $9.4MM, $6.3MM, $6.4MM and $5.6MM, according to Spotrac.

The Jaguars made a mid-offseason decision to release Gabe Davis, doing so not long after trading up to draft Travis Hunter — with the plan to primarily play him at wide receiver — at No. 2 overall. Off-field issues, coupled with a down 2024 season, made Tucker expendable — after the Ravens drafted Tyler Loop in Round 6. The Vikings moved off Garrett Bradbury‘s contract and will replace him with free agency addition Ryan Kelly, while Mason lasted two seasons paired with C.J. Stroud‘s rookie deal. The 49ers made it known early they were moving on from Javon Hargrave, while 2024 trade addition Maliek Collins also exited the team’s D-tackle room.

Derek Carr‘s retirement being processed Tuesday also changed the Saints’ funding. The team will spread the dead money ($50.13MM) across two years. Even with the number being reduced this year, the Saints will be hit with the second-highest single-player dead money hit (behind only the Broncos’ Russell Wilson separation) in NFL history as a result of the Carr exit. The Saints will only be responsible for $19.21MM of that total in 2025. As they did with Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox‘s retirements last year, the Eagles will also process Brandon Graham‘s hit this way.

Eight of this year’s post-June 1 releases remain in free agency. The Patriots added Bradbury to replace the now-retired David Andrews, while the Vikings scooped up Hargrave. As the Steelers await Rodgers’ decision, they added two other post-June 1 releases in Slay and Thornhill. Tomlinson joined the Cardinals not long after his Browns release.

Bengals Unlikely To Trade Trey Hendrickson; Holdout Still On Table

As the Trey Hendrickson/Bengals staring contest wages on, there’s an increasing sentiment that the saga will lead to an extension agreement or a holdout. As ESPN’s Ben Baby and Jeremy Fowler write, there doesn’t seem to be much momentum surrounding a potential Hendrickson trade.

As the 2024 sacks leader pushed for a new contract, the Bengals allowed the player to seek a trade to a new squad this offseason. According to ESPN, a handful of teams showed interest in extending Hendrickson if they were able to complete a trade with Cincy’s front office. Ultimately, “nothing materialized,” and that’s led to the current stalemate between the two sides.

The Bengals were reportedly seeking at least a first-round pick in return for the All-Pro. Per ESPN, there’s a belief that the organization “either didn’t get an offer including a first-round pick or it rebuffed engaging trade offers in March.” While a suitor could still come out of the woodwork, the general consensus is that Hendrickson will still be on the Bengals roster for the start of the regular season.

So, focus will instead turn to extension negotiations. Hendrickson has already gone public with his frustrations, going as far as to threaten a holdout. A source described the defensive star as “extremely dug in,” and while in-season holdouts are becoming increasingly rare under the current CBA, it sounds like Hendrickson could be one of the few players to follow through with their threat.

After pacing the NFL in sacks in 2024, Hendrickson is naturally looking to join the top of the market among edge rushers. As ESPN notes, a pair of offseason deals exacerbated the situation: Myles Garrett‘s record-breaking deal with the Browns and Danielle Hunter‘s $35MM-plus annual earnings from his new deal in Houston. That latter contract is especially notable since Hunter and Hendrickson are both 30, and it could perhaps serve as a benchmark on a Bengals deal.

The $34MM threshold is notable among edge rushers, with Maxx Crosby and Nick Bosa joining Garrett and Hunter in that exclusive club. While the Bengals may be willing to temporarily pay that type of AAV, term is the likely sticking point between the two sides, as ESPN notes that Hendrickson will surely be seeking some long-term security.

“I still think they can come to a compromise, getting him above that $30-million threshold while covering themselves,” an NFC executive told ESPN. “The age [30] is something that must be a factor for them.”

So, as the two sides continue without a resolution, Hendrickson will likely stay away from voluntary OTAs. When it’s time for the pass rusher to show up, it’s uncertain if he’ll engage in a hold-in or a literal holdout. Per ESPN, the veteran has already been warned that he’ll face fines for any unexcused absences. In other words, this situation could get even more contentious as we get closer to training camp.

Details Revealed Regarding Shemar Stewart-Bengals Contract Dispute

TODAY, 7:25pm: As expected, Shemar Stewart didn’t participate in the first day of Bengals OTAs, per Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer. However, the rookie defensive lineman was in the building, and he appeared to be taking in the first practice from the sideline.

SATURDAY, 1:15pm: More details have emerged regarding the contract dispute between the Bengals and their first-round pick, Shemar Stewart, who has yet to sign his rookie deal.

Stewart has not participated in any on-field practices since being drafted, though he has attended team meetings. He sat out rookie minicamp and is poised to remain on the sidelines when OTAs kick off next week unless his demands are met.

Initial reports indicated that the timing of bonus payments were the source of the dispute. Cincinnati proposed a payment schedule that did not match that of Myles Murphy and Amarius Mims, the team’s first-round picks in 2023 and 2024. That issue seems to have been resolved, but the two sides still disagree on default language.

Specifically, the Bengals want to include a clause in Stewart’s contract “that causes a default in the current year to trigger a default in all remaining years,” per Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. Essentially, if Stewart were to default in one year of his contract, the rest of his contract would automatically default, voiding the remaining money on his fully guaranteed rookie deal.

Mims does not have the same language in his contract, though he was taken with the 18th pick in 2024 and Stewart was drafted one spot earlier at No. 17 this year. The recently signed contracts of Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins don’t contain a similar default clause, either.

Defaults are rare in the NFL. They happen when a player breaches the terms of his contract, typically by sustaining an injury while participating in a prohibited activity or committing conduct detrimental to the team. Stewart certainly has no intention of triggering a default, but it remains a possibility against which he wants to protect himself.

But why refuse to participate at all over a relatively minor contract detail? Stewart could still sign his rookie waiver and get on the field, but he appears to be standing on principle and holding the Bengals to their contract precedent. Cincinnati has typically lagged behind the rest of the NFL when negotiating with players, particularly in terms of guaranteed money. Stewart is witnessing firsthand the struggle of fellow edge rusher Trey Hendrickson to reach a favorable agreement with the team and is sending a clear message that he will not accept a contract with unfavorable terms, now or in the future.

Stewart also has leverage in this situation. If Hendrickson refuses to budge, the Bengals could be without their best defensive player heading into the regular season. At that point, Stewart would be called upon to step up as a pass rusher and may struggle to produce if he misses valuable developmental time this summer. His profile as a raw athlete with unrefined technique suggests that Cincinnati has extra motivation to get him practicing as soon as possible.

Bengals, Cordell Volson Agree To Revised Contract

MAY 27: Volson’s base salary for the year has been reduced to $1.5MM as a result of the restructure, per Over the Cap (h/t Baby). He is now set to collect $500K in guarantees, and a total of $600K in per-game roster bonuses are present in the new deal. Volson’s 2025 cap charge is now $3.1MM.

MAY 23: The Bengals have agreed to a revised contract with offensive guard Cordell Volson, according to ESPN’s Ben Baby.

Volson started 48 games across the first three years of his career, qualifying him for the Level Two Proven Performance Escalator and boosting his 2025 salary to $3.656MM, though none is guaranteed.

That would normally be a bargain for a starting guard, but Volson was benched twice last season for Cody Ford, who re-signed in Cincinnati on a two-year, $6MM deal this offseason. The Bengals added even more guard depth by signing veteran Lucas Patrick and drafted Dylan Fairchild (third round, No. 81) and Jalen Rivers (fifth round, No. 153). Of the five, Volson had the biggest 2025 cap hit and the least guaranteed money remaining, putting him at risk of missing the 53-man roster if he didn’t emerge as a starter in training camp.

With more competition along the interior of the Bengals’ offensive line, Volson accepted the team’s offer of a reduced salary in exchange for guaranteed money, per Baby. Precise details have yet to be reported, but Volson may have the opportunity to earn additional money if he can hold down a starting guard job.

Volson has only played left guard in the NFL, so that’s likely his best path to starting. Ford started two games there in 2024, along with seven at tackle, while eight of Patrick’s 10 starts came at left guard for the Saints with the remaining two at center. Cincinnati’s rookies will offer some competition, too; both logged at least 850 snaps at left guard during their college careers. Fairchild was Georgia’s starting LG in 2023 and 2024, while Rivers started there in 2022 with another 219 snaps last season.

With a lower cap hit and added guaranteed money, Volson’s new contract should give him a better chance of hanging onto a roster spot even if he can’t carve out a starting role, though the versatility of his veteran competition may force him to develop some of his own.

Lions Unlikely To Pursue Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson

As the Bengals-Trey Hendrickson contract impasse drags on, the possibility of a trade looms over the situation. The Lions, despite recent interest in elite EDGE players like Myles Garrett and Maxx Crosby, do not appear to be a Hendrickson suitor.

Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press says a pursuit of the 2024 sack leader would run counter to the Lions’ current operation. After all, Detroit is in the midst of negotiations with its own standout pass rusher, Aidan Hutchinson, and those discussions may well culminate in an extension that catapults Hutchinson to the top of the EDGE market (currently paced by Garrett’s $40MM average annual value). 

It would therefore be quite difficult for the Lions to surrender notable draft capital to complete a Hendrickson trade – even if Cincinnati relaxes its demand of a first-round pick plus more – and then authorize a contract near the top of the market for a second defensive end. Hendrickson’s age (30) will likely prevent him from reaching the $40MM/year club, but as Birkett suggests, a $35MM AAV is not out of the question.

Plus, the Lions have other contractual matters to resolve. While Hutchinson is presumably at the top of GM Brad Holmes’ agenda at the moment, Birkett says the club is looking ahead to a second deal for running back Jahmyr Gibbs – who will be eligible for a new contract at the end of the 2025 season – and other internal cornerstones. While Birkett does not expressly say so, it could be that Gibbs’ 2023 draftmates like Jack Campbell, Sam LaPorta, and Brian Branch are already on Holmes’ extension radar (Holmes finalized a record-setting extension for safety Kerby Joseph just a few weeks ago).

Of course, the prospect of pairing Hutchinson with Hendrickson is a tempting one. Hendrickson has earned Pro Bowl acclaim in each of his four seasons with the Bengals, and he has recorded 17.5 sacks in both of the past two seasons (his 2024 showing led to his first First Team All-Pro bid and placed him second in Defensive Player of the Year balloting). Hutchinson, who will turn 25 in August, averaged 10 sacks per season over his first two NFL campaigns and hit 7.5 sacks in just five contests in 2024 before suffering a season-ending leg injury.

It was that injury that led to Detroit’s in-season trade interest in Garrett and Crosby. After the team was rebuffed in those pursuits, it pivoted to Za’Darius Smith, and with Hutchinson ready to go for 2025, Birkett says the team will seek a complementary piece rather than a marquee addition.

Smith, who was released in a cost-cutting move in March, still profiles as a logical candidate to return. Holmes said last month he had not spoken with Smith’s camp since the release, but those comments were made before the 2025 draft. Now that the draft is in the books and clubs have a better idea of their roster needs, the two sides could circle back to each other. DeMarcus Walker, who visited Detroit in April, also remains unsigned, as does Von Miller.

The Lions re-signed DE Marcus Davenport this offseason after his first year in the Motor City was cut short by an elbow injury. As of the time of this writing, Davenport is penciled in as Hutchinson’s bookend on Detroit’s defensive front.