The Cincinnati Bengals have had some contract disputes this offseason, but one that seems to have dissipated is with rookie Shemar Stewart. ESPN did a check-in on all the rookies in the 2025 draft class, and Stewart has seemed to impress a lot of people with his play, according to Ben Baby.
“When the Bengals drafted Stewart, there were questions about whether his great traits could help him overcome the limited sack production he had at Texas A&M,” Baby wrote. “And despite a contract dispute that kept him off the field for the start of training camp, he has been as impressive as any Bengals rookie in recent memory. Stewart has been disruptive, lining up across multiple positions on the defensive line and earning respect from all corners of the locker room.”
Head coach Zac Taylor also spoke highly of Stewart, and what they saw on film is translating on the field.
“These are all the things we saw on the tape in terms of being able to position him in different spots and make an impact immediately and disrupt,” Taylor said.
The Bengals' defense needed to make some improvements from last season, and if they can get a productive rookie season from Stewart, they'll be on the right path.
Can the Bengals' defense take the next step?
The Bengals organization has shown over the years that they're not willing to play their player premium money on the defensive side of the ball, which is why it seems like the unit underperforms every season. This season, they're dealing with the same thing, as Trey Hendrickson has wanted a contract extension, but the Bengals are not meeting him at the price he wants.
Hendrickson was one of the best pass rushers in the league last season, and he was the one shining hope on the Bengals defense. Without him, they may be in trouble, and it looks like they're willing to take trade offers for him. If they were to trade him, the hope is that they can get a promising defender in return, because if not, the unit may struggle again.
It could be up to players such as Stewart to make a difference, but if the Bengals and Hendrickson can come to an agreement, and defensive line with them two together would be special. At this point, Bengals fans are hoping that things get smoothed out and they get their premier player on the field.
