”Just sit back and watch me work.” That was the reaction of Shemar Stewart earlier when critics mocked his college sack statistics—just 4.5 in three years at Texas A&M. For some, it was bravado. For the Bengals, it was faith. They believed they had a raw but explosive weapon that could become a game-changer off the edge. Now, following a nail-biting week of negotiations, the first-year defensive end is officially under contract with an $18 million deal that came within a hair of not happening.

Stewart inked a four-year, fully guaranteed contract for $18.97 million, with a $10.4 million signing bonus, on Thursday, bringing to a conclusion one of the more uncomfortable rookie standoffs of this off-season. The Bengals had selected him No. 17 overall in April, but negotiations went on well into July, after training camp had begun. It took a change of heart, however, as Stewart’s father, Coach Moe, informed The Cincinnati Enquirer.

He informed that the Bengals made it clear they were changing direction and compromise to meet in the middle. Kelsey Conway tweeted on X . ”The Bengals indicated a willingness to compromise this week to get something done.” That strategy apparently resonated with Stewart’s team. “They decided they would compromise also,” Moe said to Kelsey, adding that the two sides met in the middle after a standoff.The biggest point of contention wasn’t money in the classical sense. Rookie deals are tiered, so Stewart’s contract was always going to fall in that $18 million range.

What held things up were guarantees and incentives. Specifically, Cincinnati’s push to insert a clause that would have allowed it to void future guarantees under certain conditions. Stewart’s camp wasn’t having it. That’s when the holdout escalated. Stewart refused to take the field at rookie minicamp and then walked away from mandatory minicamp entirely, citing frustration. ”I’ve been doing this most of my life and now it’s stalled over something so simple.”

Stewart’s college stats were hardly sensational, just 4.5 sacks in three seasons but raw materials were what impressed the Bengals. He stands 6’5″, 270 pounds, with a fast get-off and natural bend around the corner. The NFL scouts didn’t get a finished product, but they got a guy who, in the right system, could develop as a pass-rushing focal point. Now, finally signed to terms, the Bengals get to prove that theory on the field.

Why the Bengals held the line so long

Stewart’s holdout wasn’t only about precedent. It was about projection. And with new DC Al Golden’s defensive plans, the Bengals’ mindset on his role has shifted. Unlike a Hendrickson-type edge rusher who’s being asked to tee off on every snap, Stewart is seen primarily as a run-side edge-setter with developmental pass-rush potential. The shiny new contract may create expectations of an instant impact. But coaches aren’t looking to insert him as a Day 1 starter.

In fact, preliminary signs are that Stewart will be brought along slowly through the defense, employed in rotation, and asked to set the edge against the run, not merely pursue quarterbacks. Golden is not counting on numbers right off the bat. He desires technique, vision, and patience.

That optimism could have played into the Bengals’ initial hardline stance. If Stewart was not going to be counted on to control games in Year 1, Cincinnati wasn’t going to throw fully guaranteed coverage out there with no escape hatches. But when both sides realized the stalemate was killing development, the dynamic changed. The Bengals gave in on some wording. Stewart gave up on the holdout. Football prevailed.

The system is more discipline-driven and less reliant on pure edge speed. It will require Stewart to refine his handwork, leverage, and block recognition before the sacks come in bunches. That’s not the role fans expect when they see a first-rounder sign for nearly $18 million. But it’s the plan in place. Cincinnati’s not just building pass rushers, it’s building system fits.

And although Trey Hendrickson’s future with the team is left in doubt, Stewart doesn’t need to replace him immediately. What he must do is study the grind. With the contract soap opera out of the way, Stewart will immediately report to Bengals training camp. And sure, there’s a long way still to go, but one thing is certain: this was not given to him. This was fought for, negotiated, and finally signed by both sides with caution and conviction.

Now it’s Stewart’s turn to live up to the brim of his boast  and demonstrate to the league exactly why he uttered, “Just sit back and watch.”