Bengals GM on Shemar Stewart: 'He Needs to Be Here'

Former Texas A&M Aggies defensive end Shemar Stewart is arguably the biggest story in the NFL right now, but unfortunately, it's for the wrong reasons.

Since the Cincinnati Bengals selected Stewart with the No. 17 overall pick in April's NFL Draft, the two sides have been locked in a bitter dispute over the language of his contract. Specifically, Stewart has taken issue with the with his signing bonus payout structure and default language concerning his future guarantees. The Bengals, on the other hand, have refused to budge on the issue.

Now, on the eve of training camp, some of Cincinnati's top executives have made their position crystal clear.

Bengals GM, Owner Implore Shemar Stewart to End Holdout

While speaking with the media on Monday, Bengals general manager Duke Tobin stated that he wants to get Stewart into the fold as soon as possible, but placed the onus onto the rookie pass rusher.

"I hope Shemar comes in," Tobin said, per Cincinnati Bengals On SI. "He needs to be here. I would encourage him to be here. He could be a factor for a championship-caliber football team. I'd like to see him and I hope he gets here soon."

Bengals owner Mike Brown took things a step further, outright saying Stewart is responsible for the holdup.

"The issue seems to be about guaranteed money, if in the event, he acted in a way that was contrary to league rules, or our rules, for example, if he got into a criminal situation," Brown said. "We've been here for a long time, it's never happened, and that's what's holding up this contract, and from our vantage point, it's a form of foolishness. It just ought to get done. There is no dispute over the money. It's just a dispute in his mind that I guess, if he did something that really deserved punishment, that he would want the whole contract guaranteed."

While away from the team, Stewart has reportedly been working out independently at Texas A&M's facilities. This came after he was supposed to report to training camp with other rookies on Saturday.

“I don’t blame Shemar. He’s listening to the advice he’s paying for. I don’t understand the advice," Tobin said, per WLWT's Jaron May. "We’re treating him fairly.”

Over his three seasons in College Station, Stewart posted 65 total tackles (12 for loss), 4.5 sacks, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries.