Zac Taylor has dealt with plenty of strife this offseason with his players, but not many had Shemar Stewart on their bingo cards when Joe Burrow was pounding the table to get his stars paid to kick things off.
Now, Stewart has been vocal about his displeasure with the Cincinnati Bengals, and things appear to be escalating. Taylor recently shared his side of the situation, including a statement that suggested he was caught off guard.
Bengals EDGE Shemar Stewart Holdout Escalates as Zac Taylor Comments on Rift
According to NFL reporter Cameron Wolfe, the Bengals’ head coach has gone on record about the pass rusher’s situation. Wolfe paraphrased some of Taylor’s comments and highlighted a few key quotes.
“Bengals HC Zac Taylor on managing 1st round pick Shemar Stewart lingering contract situation & not practicing: ‘There’s a first for everything.’ Taylor said he’s had good communication w/ Stewart, wants him on field but ‘not going to make any predictions’ on if/when he’s there,” Wolfe posted.
Bengals HC Zac Taylor on managing 1st round pick Shemar Stewart lingering contract situation & not practicing: “There’s a first for everything.”
Taylor said he’s had good communication w/ Stewart, wants him on field but “not going to make any predictions” on if/when he’s there.
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) June 12, 2025
While Taylor described the communication as good, the situation appears to be deteriorating. According to ESPN’s NFL insider Adam Schefter, Stewart has now left mandatory minicamp. The reported issue centers on “certain clauses” in the contract, though no specifics were shared.
Cincinnati’s unsigned first-round draft pick Shemar Stewart now has left mandatory minicamp, per source. Stewart had been attending team activities, but without a signed contract and with the Bengals asking for certain clauses, no longer. pic.twitter.com/qeo492Z6As
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 12, 2025
Stewart was selected as the Bengals’ first draft pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and now both he and the team are in a tough spot.
Stewart’s Holdout Puts Bengals Rookie Season in Jeopardy
As a rookie, Stewart is already behind the curve. Every non-rookie in the NFL has more time on the field, more reps with coaches, and a better grasp of team systems. Minicamp was supposed to be Stewart’s first taste of NFL-level prep before training camp.
Instead, he’s skipped out on those reps, putting himself behind other pass rushers and rookies who showed up ready to work. He’ll have to play catch-up, and that might not even be his biggest problem.
By starting his career with a holdout, Stewart may be sending the message that he won’t tough it out when things get complicated. That’s the kind of red flag that could stick with him, especially if things go sideways in Cincinnati and he ends up looking for a new team.
On top of that, the longer this holdout drags on, the easier it becomes for the Bengals to start thinking about backup plans. If Stewart finishes his rookie contract without much impact, Cincinnati might not be eager to re-sign him, knowing the negotiation process could be just as tough the second time.
The Bengals need Stewart to pan out. They ranked 28th in PFSN’s Defense+ metrics last season, and his pass-rushing ability was expected to help turn that around.
Can Stewart repair the wooden bridge he’s playing with matches on?
