Demetrius Knight Contract Details and Bengals Path to Signing Shemar Stewart

Shemar Stewart is the only Bengals draft pick that is still unsigned.

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

CINCINNATI — The Bengals signed rookie linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr. to a four-year contract on Saturday.

Knight was selected by the Bengals in the second round (49th overall) in the 2025 NFL Draft.

The Bengals gave Knight 75% of his signing bonus up front. He'll receive the rest of the bonus later this season.

That's normal practice for second round picks, which means they didn't break that precedent when signing Knight.

In the past, the Bengals have given their first round picks 50% of their signing bonus up front and 50% of it 90 days after they sign the contract. They break it up into two payments.

Will they change their process for Shemar Stewart in hopes not only signing him, but getting him to agree to a contract that includes default language that previous Bengals first round picks haven't agreed to?

That's a major question with training camp set to begin on Wednesday.

Last year, Amarius Mims received 50% of his signing bonus when he signed his contract and had to wait 90 days for the other half. The Bengals could give Stewart 75% of his bonus up front and the other 25% 30 days later instead of making him wait three months for the other half.

That could be the carrot that helps the Bengals sign Stewart and get what they want in the contract from a language perspective.

For more on default language and how often other NFL teams use it, go here.

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