Shemar Stewart was a no-show during minicamp. He didn’t come to practice. Didn’t say anything about it. Didn’t even bother with the facade of ‘team bonding’ like some unsigned rookies usually do. He chose the high road instead, leaving Cincinnati right away. Why? “Shemar would, of course, love for his contract to be as protective as the rest of his Bengals teammates in the past. And, simply put, the way the contract currently reads is not as protective,” his agent Zac Hiller said it loud and clear. Translation? The Bengals tried to sneak new language into a rookie deal, and Stewart wasn’t about to let that slide.

It looked like a classic rookie holdout from the outside. But this goes beyond a few commas in a contract, according to Mike Florio on NFL on NBC. It’s a precedent-breaker, a test case, and it’s becoming unpleasant. “I believe, based upon what I know, that this isn’t getting done until training camp opens, if then. And remember, the Bengals and Stewart are stuck on some very esoteric language in his contract as a first-round pick.” Yep. When rookies are expected to report for training camp on July 19, the Bengals’ first-round choice (17th overall) might not report until then. And even that’s a coin flip at this point. Money isn’t the point. First-round picks like Shemar Stewart get fully guaranteed contracts by default. But the Bengals added a twist. 

They wish to add a default clause that might nullify any future guarantees, which they did not include in their 18th overall pick, Amarius Mims, last year. The objection posed by Shemar Stewart’s side was reasonable: Why are you offering worse conditions if you’re picking higher than you did the year before? It’s not just that clause, either. Florio revealed the Bengals even lowballed the participation agreement – the one that protects unsigned rookies if they get injured during team activities. “There’s enough Weasel room in the Bengals deal to make it something I wouldn’t advise a client to sign.”

The worst part is that they are refusing to compromise on this default condition, despite giving in on minor issues like training camp roster bonuses and on-field incident suspensions. The Bengals hope to set a new standard. Shemar Stewart’s saying: Not on my watch. And his holdout isn’t just about contracts. The front staff of the Bengals is treating the rookie harshly at the wrong moment. They might even lose their head coach as a result.

Hot seat season for Zac Taylor amid Shemar Stewart controversy

Zac Taylor is entering Year 7 in Cincinnati. And outside of that magical Super Bowl run in 2021, things have been…mid. The team is coming off back-to-back 9-8 seasons, no playoff wins, and a locker room that’s getting louder. Even CBS Sports has him on the hot seat, listing Taylor 3rd among coaches under the most pressure.

And why won’t they? Just look at the numbers. Regular season record under Taylor – 37-44-1. Only two appearances in the playoffs (2021, 2022). 2024 Season: Lost six games while scoring 25 points, and two more while scoring 38. Not precisely ‘Joe Burrow Era Domination,’ is it? A rookie who might not play until August and a defense that is losing leadership are the results of the ongoing Trey Hendrickson trade scandal and the Shemar Stewart stalemate. Not only is Taylor’s seat heated. It’s on fire.

Still, some players are riding with their coach. Orlando Brown Jr. strongly supported Taylor on Sports with Strawberry Ice, saying, “Zac is awesome, man…He’s easy to talk to and the thing I love about him the most is he’s not scared to try something new… always looking to grow and get better and, you know, he’s an alpha male.” Sure. But unless that alpha energy translates into wins and playoff berths, no quote is saving him.

The Bengals are trying to rewrite their rookie contract playbook with Shemar Stewart as the test subject. But in doing so, they’ve triggered a potential PR nightmare and a defensive hole. If this spirals into another ‘almost season,’ Zac Taylor’s run in Cincinnati could end – not with a bang – but with a badly worded clause. So yeah, July 19 isn’t just Stewart’s deadline. It might be Taylor’s, too.