Cincinnati Bengals first-round pick Shemar Stewart remains locked in a contract standoff with the team, and may try to do something radical if the two sides do not sort things out soon.
Stewart has been working out at Texas A&M, where he played collegiately, according to Mark Maske, Nicki Jhabvala, and Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post. That has led to some speculation that Stewart might even try to return to school for another season in light of his standoff with the Bengals.
The report states that Stewart’s representatives “are believed to be keeping all options open” as long as the standoff continues.
Stewart might have to sue the NCAA to return to college, as he was drafted No. 17 overall and may have ended his NCAA eligibility. However, the rules about eligibility have not been tested in the NIL era.
If Stewart sat out the entire season, he would be able to re-enter the NFL Draft next season. If he returned to college, the Bengals would hold onto his rights.
The Bengals are trying to insert language into Stewart’s rookie contract that would allow them to void guaranteed money over potential misbehavior. The team has not used such language with draft picks before, which is a big reason why Stewart left minicamp and does not intend to report to training camp.
It has been a rough offseason in some respects for the Bengals, who also alienated one of their star players with their handling of that contract.
