The ugly public standoff between the Cincinnati Bengals and first-round pick Shemar Stewart is something both parties would like to see wrapped up before training camp next month.
But don’t count on it.
NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe recently suggested that rumblings hint at Stewart and his reps being more than willing to let the standoff drag into training camp.
“And so, right now, there’s a lot of posturing going on,” Wolfe said. “There’s no imminent deal, and from what I understand, Shemar is willing to linger this out through training camp if there’s no deal.”
RELATED: Bengals, Shemar Stewart nuclear option includes 2026 NFL draft route
This report follows closely behind Stewart’s agent going public on a radio show and explaining the contract beef.
To keep things simple, the Bengals apparently want to change contract precedent with language regarding voidance of guarantees, starting with Stewart. He doesn’t want to be the first and his agent suggests the Bengals aren’t offering any way to make his being the first more attractive.
So far, Stewart and his reps have gone as far as not even practicing despite the lack of a signed contract, a rarity in the age of the rookie wage scale. As such, any public suggestion that he would be willing to sit out of training camp while risking harm to his development as a pro player likely has some merit, too.
RELATED: Bengals standouts after mandatory minicamp includes surprises
This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Shemar Stewart could be willing to risk missing Bengals training camp