The Cincinnati Bengals front office continues to do themselves no favors as Jahdae Barron inked his rookie deal with the Denver Broncos. The Broncos No. 20 overall pick signed a four-year, $18.01 million deal on Thursday, July 16.
Barron’s contract means that 31 of the 32 rookies have put pen to paper, with Shemar Stewart being the lone man out. Rookie contracts have been hard to come by this year as the Houston Texans gave their second round selection a fully-guaranteed contract. After that decision, only two second round picks have signed their deals.
The Clock is Ticking on Shemar Stewart
It’s no secret that one of the main reasons the Bengals didn’t make the playoffs last season was due to their defense. Joe Burrow’s squad may not have showed up in Week 1 against the New England Patriots, but that’s a story for another time. Knowing they needed to bulk up on defense, the Bengals have failed to sign their first round selection.
Stewart was selected at No. 17, meaning he was picked prior to Barron. It should be no surprise at this point as every single first round pick has made their signing official. The team remains far off on terms with Stewart, who may end up returning to college.
In the recent days, Mike Florio confirmed that Stewart is working out at Texas A&M. Knowing that their fall practice has yet to begin, these are unofficial workouts. It’s a smart decision for Stewart to stay in shape, as his standoff hasn’t allowed him to use the Bengals facilities.
Barron’s contract is a far cry from No. 1 Cam Ward’s fully guaranteed $48.75 million deal. Stewart is smart enough to know he won’t be receiving anywhere close to that, but the disagreement with the Bengals is hung up on guaranteed money.
Training Camp Begins on Wednesday, July 23
In seven days, the Bengals report to training camp. Cincinnati only has one week to work out not only Stewart’s deal, but Trey Hendrickson’s as well. Hendrickson is by far the best defensive player on a Bengals roster that cannot afford to lose him. T.J. Watt is in a similar situation in Pittsburgh, though the Steelers don’t have a track record like the Bengals do.
The fact that the Bengals found a way to spare $100+ million to both Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase proves they prioritize keeping star players. Without that duo, Joe Burrow would be lost on offense. The offense has already proven themselves, as the defense lets the team down time and time again.
While it seems like the Bengals were prioritizing defense in the draft, they’ve done nothing else to prove that. Stewart remains unsigned, and while fans give him slack for his 4.5 career sacks, he would immediately make an impact. The Texas A&M graduate doesn’t want to be in this position, but the Bengals are doing themselves no favors.
The clock is ticking, and neither side seems near an agreement. At some point, the organization or Stewart’s team are going to have to put their differences aside if they want him to play in the NFL. If not, Stewart may return to college in an unprecedented move. The details of that are far from finalized as Cincinnati cannot afford to lose the 21-year-old.
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