Subscribe
Follow Us
The Cincinnati Bengals are not strangers to high-stakes drama on or off the field. After all, this is the team that’s tried to ride the thin line between championship contention and roster preservation. However, as training camp nears for the 2025 NFL season, the Bengals find themselves in murky waters once again. This time, it’s not just about Joe Burrow’s health or the balance between a loaded offense and an improving defense. The biggest plotline involves a rookie edge rusher who hasn’t even signed his deal. Now, while most rookies come in with fanfare and fresh energy, Cincinnati’s latest first-rounder may be headed out before he ever suits up.
A Strategy That’s Aging Poorly
There are a few ways to deal with a pressing issue. Some try to cut the problem into smaller pieces and solve the components one at a time. Others ask for help. And then there are people who simply decide to sleep it off and wait it out. Whatever's wrong will resolve itself.
The Bengals appear to be adopting that last strategy with their most pressing issue. Though the organization signed wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to long-term extensions in March, they've yet to address the requests of star edge rusher Trey Hendrickson. He wants a new contract or a trade to another team that will give him one. Cincinnati doesn't appear to be inclined to do either.
It was going to be hard for the Bengals to replace Hendrickson in March. However, that possibility has become downright impossible following free agency and the draft. He created an unprecedented 26 sacks for himself and his teammates a year ago, per ESPN's metrics. The data for this metric dates to 2017, and no other player had topped 20 sacks created in a season.
Since Hendrickson initially expressed his displeasure about his deal in March, the price of a potential extension has only gone up. Recall that Myles Garrett signed a four-year, $160 million extension to stay with the Browns. That raised the top of the edge rusher market from $34 million per season to $40 million per year. Micah Parsons is expected to up that figure further when he signs his extension with the Cowboys. The best time for the Bengals to get a Hendrickson deal done was March. The next-best time would be now. And then we have their rookie holdout situation.
Here we'll try to look at the obvious Cincinnati Bengals trade candidate entering the 2025 NFL training camp.
The Rookie Who Might Get Dealt Before He Even Plays
Yes, Hendrickson remains the headline name in the Bengals’ contract drama. That said, there’s another problem brewing that could explode during camp: rookie left defensive end Shemar Stewart. Selected No. 17 overall out of Texas A&M, Stewart is making waves for the wrong reasons. He’s yet to sign his rookie deal, hasn’t practiced with the team, and is refusing to participate in any activities. He wants language regarding injury insurance in his contract amended.
This type of holdout is nearly unheard of in today’s NFL, particularly under the current CBA. Rookies, especially first-rounders, rarely miss meaningful offseason time over contract language. And yet, here we are. Stewart not only skipped offseason workouts. He even walked out of the facility early during minicamp, underscoring how serious the impasse has become.
It’s the kind of standoff that could force an unthinkable outcome: a pre-practice trade of a first-round pick.
No team has ever traded away a first-rounder before signing them. Should Cincinnati entertain that option, it would mark a historical first. It would also likely spark league-wide conversations about rookie contract negotiations. Sure, some front office personnel remain hopeful Stewart will eventually sign. However, others believe the clock is ticking louder each day.
Article Continues Below
Potential Suitors
While Stewart hasn’t taken a snap in Bengals gear, other NFL teams are reportedly monitoring the situation closely. The Panthers, Patriots, and 49ers are believed to be potential landing spots. Each franchise has its own pass-rushing needs. Stewart’s upside—despite an underwhelming college stat sheet—is enticing.
Standing at 6'5 and weighing nearly 290 pounds, Stewart boasts an NFL-ready frame and rare athleticism. Scouts praised his raw potential leading up to the draft. That's even if his sack totals at Texas A&M didn’t turn heads. For a team looking for a long-term developmental project with a high ceiling, he’s an appealing gamble.
However, that’s exactly the problem for Cincinnati. This is not a team in rebuild mode. They’re contending for a Super Bowl. Trading away their top pick before he even plays potentially signals organizational dysfunction. Ifthey lose Hendrickson as well, the defensive line would go from strength to liability overnight.
A Trade Might Still Be the Right Call
Despite the risk of bad optics, the Bengals might be wise to seriously consider trading Stewart if contract talks don’t progress soon. Distractions are the enemy of teams with Super Bowl aspirations. Cincinnati has enough on its plate trying to keep Joe Burrow healthy and the offense humming.
Hendrickson’s situation already looms large. Adding Stewart’s stalemate to the mix creates unnecessary tension heading into camp. Even if Stewart eventually signs, the tone has already been set: this relationship didn’t start on solid ground.
By gauging the market now, the Bengals could recoup valuable assets. They could perhaps acquire a 2026 second-rounder or a player-plus-pick package from a team willing to roll the dice. That return could be more beneficial than letting the situation deteriorate further and watching Stewart’s trade value crater.
The Bottom Line
The Bengals entered this offseason with a clear mandate: retool without regressing. Extending Chase and Higgins was a major win. But the mishandling of Hendrickson’s contract and Stewart’s rookie impasse threaten to undermine what could be a special season in Cincinnati.
The Shemar Stewart saga is bizarre, unpredictable, and unprecedented. But if the Bengals don’t resolve it soon, they may have no choice but to become the first team in NFL history to trade away a first-round pick before he even signs.
If that’s the path they take, it will go down as a cautionary tale—and the most obvious trade of 2025 training camp.
