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Shemar Stewart Leaves Cincinnati Bengals Mini Camp

Cincinnati Bengals first-round pick and Texas A&M Aggies defensive end Shemar Stewart has reportedly left his team's mandatory mini camp.
Matt Galatzan|
The Cincinnati Bengals practice in the off season on Tuesday May 20, 2025. Bengals 2025 draft pick Shemar Stewart (97).
The Cincinnati Bengals practice in the off season on Tuesday May 20, 2025. Bengals 2025 draft pick Shemar Stewart (97). | Phil Didion/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Texas A&M AggiesCincinnati Bengals

The wedge between the Cincinnati Bengals and their No. 17 overall pick, Texas A&M Aggies defensive end Shemar Stewart, continues to grow larger.

Thanks to a disagreement in one clause in the language of the contract, Stewart has yet to participate in any on-field offseason activities with the team as he continues to hold out while awaiting the signing of his contract. He's one of five first-round picks that are still unsigned.

But instead of the sides starting inch closer to a resolution, its getting worse.

According to reports from ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter, Stewart, who had been attending team activities, has now left Bengals camp altogether,

Bengals defensive end Shemar Stewart smiles with Bengals defensive tackle Dante Barnett during the Bengals Rookie Mini Camp
Bengals defensive end Shemar Stewart smiles with Bengals defensive tackle Dante Barnett during the Bengals Rookie Mini Camp | Albert Cesare/The Cincinnati Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"Cincinnati’s unsigned first-round draft pick Shemar Stewart now has left mandatory minicamp, per source," Schefter said on X. "Stewart had been attending team activities, but without a signed contract and with the Bengals asking for certain clauses, no longer."

So why exactly is the schism between Stewart and the Bengals continuing to grow?

According to NFL.com, teams are looking to "set a new precedent" in rookie contract negotiations that could allow front offices to avoid having to guarantee money on a four-year deal for a rookie that might not pan out.

In other words, should Stewart were to suffer a serious injury in camp, it could potentially force the Bengals to negotiate different terms cost him millions of dollars, and put his future at risk.

As such, Stewart believes his is 100 percent justified in his actions, and does near appear to be close to giving in to the Bengals demands.

"I'm 100 percent right. I'm not asking for nothing y'all have never done before," Stewart said. "But in y'all case, y'all just want to win arguments (more) than winning more games. ... I can’t say what I really want to say, but it’s their contract. They can do what they want with it."

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Matt Galatzan
MATT GALATZAN

Matt Galatzan is the Managing Editor and Publisher of Texas Longhorns On SI and Texas A&M Aggies On SI and a long-time member of the Football Writer’s Association of America. He graduated from the University of Mississippi, where he studied integrated marketing communications, with minors in journalism and business administration. Galatzan started in the sports journalism industry in 2014 covering the Dallas Mavericks and SMU Mustangs with 247Sports. He then moved to Sports Illustrated's Fan Nation network in 2020, eventually being taking over as the Managing Editor and Publisher of the Longhorns and Aggies sites a year later. You can find Galatzan on all major social media channels, including Twitter on @MattGalatzan.

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