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One of the more concerning developments of the 2025 offseason for the Cincinnati Bengals is the fact that their first round draft pick, defensive end Shemar Stewart out of Texas A&M, has yet to sign his rookie contract with the team. Stewart is now officially the last first round pick from 2025 who hasn't yet signed with the team that drafted him.
Amidst the turmoil, some fans have wondered whether Stewart could possibly return to Texas A&M after failing to come to terms with the Bengals on a rookie contract.
Recently, NFL insider Mike Florio of NBC Sports' Pro Football Talk weighed in on the possibility of that happening.
“Yes, NCAA rules would prevent a return, now that Stewart has been drafted,” reported Florio. “But many NCAA rules have failed under the weight of the federal antitrust laws. Why shouldn’t a player who has never taken an NFL paycheck or signed an NFL contract be prevented from going back to school?
Florio also noted that “if Stewart is going to do it, he needs to get started ASAP. College football season is coming around quickly. And, as best we can tell, however, Stewart would be very interested in exploring any financial offer from A&M (or elsewhere, since the transfer portal is unenforceable, too).”
A tough offseason for the Bengals
The Bengals were certainly hoping that the 2025 offseason would go smoother than it has so far. Although the trade rumors surrounding Trey Hendrickson have quieted down in recent months, the team still has yet to come to terms with him on a new contract extension.
The arrival of Stewart via the NFL Draft was supposed to help them address the possibility of Hendrickson looking for greener pastures, but now it appears that he too might not suit up in a Bengals uniform this year.
The Bengals' ownership has a reputation for being one of the cheapest in the current NFL landscape, a fact that has come back to bite the team in the years since their 2021-22 Super Bowl appearance, and is continuing to do so in the present day.
