Bengals rookie Shemar Stewart getting off to the wrong start with new team

In the first round of the 2025 NFL draft, the Cincinnati Bengals selected former Texas A&M edge defender Shemar Stewart. Before the draft, we went on record that Stewart was a guy we were scared to draft and not a guy we would spend a first-round pick on. One day into rookie camp, he's not doing himself any favors as he's already holding out and refusing to sign his rookie contract.

Stewart is represented by Zachary Hiller (LAA Sports), who is doing him no favors by having him hold out already. Rookie contracts are slotted and there is very little wiggle room, especially now that all first-round contracts are fully guaranteed.

When asked, Stewart said he hated being on the sidelines watching the rest of the rookies work but still "just decided not to sign those papers." When Stewart was drafted, he said he was angry coming into the league and planned to make teams regret not picking him. I'm not sure any team is regretting it right now.

Awful look: Bengals rookie DE Shemar Stewart is holding out from practice until his rookie contract is agreed to:

“I just decided not to sign those papers. I hate being on the sidelines looking at everybody else do work.”

😬😬😬pic.twitter.com/vWsuPmacm0— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) May 9, 2025

This article originally appeared on Draft Wire: Bengals rookie Shemar Stewart refuses to sign rookie contract