Shemar Stewart, the Cincinnati Bengals’ first-round draft pick, is getting a lot of attention, not because of his plays on the field, but because he’s still the only first-round rookie who hasn’t signed his contract.
The Bengals picked Stewart 17th overall out of Texas A&M, expecting him to be a key piece of their defence. But the rookie defensive end isn’t happy with some of the wording in his contract, and negotiations have hit a wall. Reports say Cincinnati isn’t willing to adjust the offer any further, at least for now.
But the contract delay isn’t the only thing raising eyebrows. Some insiders believe Stewart’s actual college performance didn’t quite live up to the hype around his physical talent. According to NFL writer Albert Breer, some teams weren’t all that excited about Stewart in the draft because “the production didn’t match the talent.”
That concern is easy to see in his stats. Despite being seen as a highly talented edge rusher, Stewart recorded just 4.5 sacks over three college seasons, with 1.5 sacks each year from 2022 to 2024. For a first-round pass rusher, that’s a pretty modest number, and it’s part of what makes his situation a bit uncertain.
Still, it’s likely the Bengals and Stewart will eventually agree on a deal. Once that happens, the real test will begin: can Stewart turn his tools and potential into real NFL production? For now, fans and analysts will just have to wait and see if he can silence the doubts.