Bengals prez: 'Foolishness' Stewart still unsigned

CINCINNATI -- Bengals squad president Mike Brown didn't mince words astir the declaration concern betwixt the squad and unsigned rookie Shemar Stewart.

At the team's yearly media luncheon and Brown's lone media availability each year, helium said it was "foolishness" that the squad and Stewart person been incapable to motion a contract. Stewart, the 17th wide prime successful this year's draft, is the lone first-round enactment that has yet to motion with his respective club.

The sticking constituent successful the negotiations, Brown said, is simply a quality implicit the connection successful Stewart's rookie declaration pertaining to imaginable behaviour detrimental to the team. In that scenario, it could void guaranteed wealth owed to Stewart, which is simply a clause the Bengals added precocious to reflector different teams astir the league.

That is what prompted Brown to dependable his stance connected the contract.

"We've been present for a agelong time, it's ne'er happened and that's holding up this contract," Brown said Monday. "From our vantage point, it's a signifier of foolishness. It conscionable ought to get done."

Stewart did not partake successful immoderate workouts since the Bengals drafted him successful April. According to a root acquainted with the negotiations, the squad opted not to adhd successful further connection into the information waiver that would person enabled Stewart to signifier portion the 2 sides enactment retired a contract. Stewart did not study with the team's different 5 rookies connected Sunday.

Bengals enforcement Duke Tobin, the team's de facto wide manager, said helium believed Cincinnati was apt the past squad to instrumentality that connection into its contracts. He besides didn't instrumentality umbrage astatine Stewart specifically but those surrounding him.

"He's listening to the proposal that he's paying for," Tobin said. I don't recognize the advice. I don't hold with it. I'm not the 1 paying for it, but that's wherever it is.

"If I thought we were treating him unfairly, it would beryllium a antithetic story. But we're treating him reasonably with each the remainder of the draught picks successful this year's draft." Zac Hiller, Stewart's agent, shared a connection with ESPN and different outlets regarding Tobin's comments.

"Duke Tobin has had nary engagement successful this negotiation," Hiller said. "It seems to beryllium supra his wage grade."

Coming into past weekend, Stewart and linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr., the team's second-round pick, were the lone unsigned members of Cincinnati's draught class. However, Knight signed his paperwork Sunday, which allows him to enactment successful grooming camp. A root acquainted with the negotiations told ESPN akin presumption were not offered to Stewart.

That could person perchance helped find an extremity to the standoff betwixt the sides. However, Stewart is prepared to hold arsenic agelong arsenic needed successful bid to motion a woody that helium feels is fair, per a source.

Stewart is not the lone Bengals antiaircraft extremity eyeing a contract. Trey Hendrickson, a four-time Pro Bowler and an All-Pro enactment past season, has been wanting a semipermanent deal.

It's unclear if helium volition study with the remaining veterans Tuesday. Tobin said helium expects each players who are nether declaration to report.

However, determination is optimism from the apical authoritative successful the Bengals beforehand bureau astir getting Hendrickson connected favorable presumption up of his last twelvemonth nether his existent contract.

"We're moving to get Trey signed arsenic we talk here," Brown said. "There are guys implicit successful the bureau moving to get that done. I deliberation it'll get done."