A Bengals player (singular or plural) being disgruntled over their contract situation has become a tradition.
Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins requested a trade last offseason. This offseason, pass rusher Trey Hendrickson currently wants out due to failed extension talks, and first-round pick Shemar Stewart remains unsigned because of a contract dispute.
Hendrickson, the Bengals best defensive player, didn’t show up to minicamp. He told reporters in May that he wouldn’t play under his current deal. Hendrickson is due to make $15.8 million in base salary this season on the final year of his contract.
Stewart left minicamp after not participating. A person close to the situation confirmed to USA TODAY Sports, the Bengals are attempting to change the language in the rookie’s contracts to ‘allow the team to void future guarantees.’ Stewart’s representation is asking for his contract language to look the same as previous Cincinnati first-round picks. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.
Stewart has yet to practice all offseason. He is one of four 2025 first-round picks who remain unsigned.
“I think for all the rookies you’d like for them to be on the field. But certainly, there are things that happen throughout the course of an NFL career. This is one of them right now,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor told reporters this week. “He’s been in the meetings. He’s been positive in that way. He’s been learning, he’s been a good learner, and we look forward to him getting back on the field quickly.”
In fairness, the Bengals re-signed Joe Burrow in 2023 to a record-breaking extension that at the time made him the highest-paid player in NFL history. This year, Cincinnati re-signed both wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to mega long-term deals. Chase is currently the highest-paid wide receiver in the league.
The Bengals took steps forward to squash the cheap narrative with the Burrow, Chase and Higgins deals. But the organization has since taken a step back with the contract stalemates involving both Hendrickson and Stewart.
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‘I’m 100 percent right. I’m not asking for nothing y’all have never done before,’ Stewart said to reporters this week of the Bengals, per The Cincinnati Enquirer, part of the USA TODAY Network. ‘But in y’all case, y’all just want to win arguments (more) than winning more games.’
The Bengals only won nine games last season. The club was on vacation during the playoffs in large part because of a poor defensive unit. Six of the Bengals losses occurred in games they scored 25 points or more. They ranked 29th both second half points allowed, and fourth quarter points allowed. The unit ranked 25th in the NFL in total defense.
And now this offseason, the Bengals are at odds with their best defensive player, who led the NFL with 17.5 sacks in 2024, and their first-round pick edge rusher because of situations that involve money.
Bengals brass hate being called cheap. But the organization isn’t doing enough to quell the perception.
Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.
