Shemar Stewart agreed to his rookie contract with the Cincinnati Bengals on Friday, ending a prolonged dispute over guarantee language that kept him out of training camp. The defensive end becomes the final 2025 first-round selection to reach a deal with his team.
Stewart signed a four-year, fully guaranteed contract worth $18.97 million with a $10.4 million signing bonus, his agent Zac Hiller confirmed to ESPN\'s Adam Schefter. The former Texas A&M standout was selected 17th overall in April\'s draft.
The 22-year-old defensive end missed the team\'s offseason workouts and the first week of training camp due to disagreements over void language in his contract. The disputed clauses could eliminate guaranteed money under certain circumstances involving player conduct.
Both sides reached a compromise that allowed Stewart to receive a more lucrative payout structure than previous 17th overall picks. In exchange, he accepted new language the Bengals inserted into rookie contracts regarding guarantee voidability.
Team president Mike Brown explained the organization\'s position on the disputed language during Monday\'s media session.
\"I guess if he did something that really deserved punishment that he would want the whole contract guaranteed, and we would want to say, \'Well, it isn\'t guaranteed if you did something to that level,\'\" Brown said. \"In that case, we would step in and take away the guarantee.\"
Director of player personnel Duke Tobin acknowledged Cincinnati was among the last NFL teams to implement such language in rookie deals. Stewart\'s situation mirrored linebacker Roquan Smith\'s 2018 holdout with the Chicago Bears over similar contract provisions.
The Bengals\' other five draft picks signed before training camp began Wednesday. Defensive end Trey Hendrickson remains unsigned as he seeks a new contract in the final year of his current deal.
Via Ben Baby/ESPN