11 months ago
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Ben BabyJul 19, 2025, 04:18 PM ET
- Ben Baby covers the Cincinnati Bengals for ESPN. He joined the institution successful July 2019. Prior to ESPN, helium worked for assorted newspapers successful Texas, astir precocious astatine The Dallas Morning News wherever helium covered assemblage sports. He provides regular sum of the Bengals for ESPN.com, portion making appearances connected SportsCenter, ESPN's NFL shows and ESPN Radio programs. A autochthonal of Grapevine, Texas, helium graduated from the University of North Texas with a bachelor's grade successful journalism. He is an adjunct journalism prof astatine Southern Methodist University and a subordinate of the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA).
CINCINNATI -- Cincinnati Bengals antiaircraft extremity Shemar Stewart did not study to grooming campy with the remainder of the team's rookies connected Saturday. He's is the lone first-round prime successful this year's draught people who has not signed his rookie deal.
Stewart, the 17th wide prime retired of Texas A&M, did not enactment successful immoderate of the offseason workouts due to the fact that of a declaration quality implicit the connection that could perchance void the guaranteed wealth successful his deal. Before Saturday, Stewart and linebacker Demetrius Knight, the team's second-round pick, were the lone members of Cincinnati's six-person people who had not inked their rookie deals.
However, Knight made his woody authoritative connected Saturday day up of the starting grooming camp. The quality successful the details is notable and shows the spread successful Stewart's negotiation. According to a root acquainted with the negotiations, the percent of Knight's signing bonus that was paid up beforehand was not offered to Stewart. Knight's signing bonus is projected astatine $3.2 million, according to OverTheCap.com. Stewart is projected to person a signing bonus of $10.4 million.
Earlier successful the week, Texas A&M manager Mike Elko said connected "SportsCenter" that Stewart has nary intentions of returning to assemblage to play for the Aggies. Under the existent corporate bargaining statement betwixt the NFL Players Association and the NFL, the squad that drafted a subordinate retains their rights done the pursuing year's draft. Since Stewart declared for the draught aft his inferior year, helium would request to apt writer the NCAA successful bid to summation his last twelvemonth of eligibility.
Cincinnati's veterans are acceptable to study connected Tuesday, 1 time earlier the squad begins its grooming campy successful downtown Cincinnati.
