Shemar Stewart has options (but not many)
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Diverging Reports Breakdown
Shemar Stewart has options (but not many)
Cincinnati Bengals and Shemar Stewart remain at odds over his rookie contract. He can refuse to sign and demand a trade, but the window for trading an unsigned draft pick expires 30 days before “the first game of the regular season” He can wait to sign until the Tuesday after Week 10 and still play in 2025. The CBA contemplates the possibility that a drafted player will instead go back to college for the upcoming season. He could play in another pro football league, like the CFL or the UFL, which would tie him to the Bengals through 2026 unless he plays in the CFL and UFL at the same time. The Bengals would have a right of first refusal as to any contract Stewart would sign with another NFL team after the 2026 draft, if he re-enters the draft and is picked again, he could become an undrafted free agent after the next draft. It’s unlikely that any of those scenarios would occur, most other teams, who have a history of ill-advised decisions.
Not many, but he has options.
Here’s what he can do, given the relevant terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
First, he can refuse to sign and demand a trade. The window for trading an unsigned draft pick expires 30 days before “the first game of the regular season.” This year, the regular season begins with the Eagles hosting the Cowboys on September 4. The window for trading Stewart closes on August 5. After that, Stewart can’t be traded by the Bengals at all in 2025 — whether he signs or doesn’t sign.
Second, Stewart can wait to sign until the Tuesday after Week 10 and still play in 2025. After that, he can’t play at all in 2025, “absent a showing to the Impartial Arbitrator of extreme Club or extreme personal hardship.” The CBA contains no definition or explanation of the term “extreme hardship.” Whatever it means, the arbitrator must make a decision within five days of the application, and the decision “shall be final and binding upon all parties.”
Third, he can refuse to sign at all until the 2026 draft begins. At that point, he’d re-enter the draft pool. During the 2026 draft, he could be drafted by any team except the Bengals.
Fourth — and this is something that we contemplated during the 2025 draft both as to quarterback Shedeur Sanders and quarterback Quinn Ewers — Stewart could try to return to college for the upcoming season. Even though it would require an actual or threatened legal battle against the NCAA, the rule that prevents a player who has been drafted but who hasn’t signed an NFL contract from returning to college football could be susceptible to an attack under the antitrust laws.
Somewhat surprisingly, the CBA contemplates the possibility that a drafted player will instead go back to college. Here’s the language, from Article 6, Section 6: “If any college football player who becomes eligible for the Draft prior to exhausting his college football eligibility through participation is drafted by an NFL Club, and returns to college, the drafting Club’s exclusive right to negotiate and sign a Player Contract with such player shall continue through the date of the Draft that follows the last season in which the player was eligible to participate in college football, and thereafter the player shall be treated and the Club shall have such exclusive rights as if he were drafted in such Draft by such Club (or assignee Club).”
In English, this means that, if Stewart returns to college football in 2025, he’d be treated as a draft pick of the Bengals in 2026. Which means that he wouldn’t be permitted to re-enter the draft next year.
Fifth, he could refuse to sign with the Bengals and play in another pro football league, like the CFL or the UFL. The CBA addresses that possibility, too. If Stewart plays in another professional league in the 12 months after being drafted, the Bengals would hold his rights for three years after the 2025 draft. After that, the Bengals would have a right of first refusal as to any contract Stewart would sign with another NFL team.
One last point. Any player that wants to avoid the draft entirely would have to sit out up to two years. If he re-enters the draft and is picked again, he could refuse to sign a contract and become an undrafted free agent after the next draft.
For Stewart, it’s not about bypassing the draft entirely. It’s about getting the Bengals to relent on their desire to suddenly change their void language for future guarantees. If they refuse, and if he won’t blink by the Tuesday after Week 10, he’ll re-enter the draft in 2026.
Unless he plays in the CFL or the UFL, which would tie him to the Bengals through 2028.
To summarize, Stewart can be traded until August 5. He can refuse to sign with the Bengals until the Tuesday after Week 10 and still play in 2025. Or he can sit out all of 2025 (and not return to college or play in another pro league) and re-enter the draft in 2026 for selection by any team but the Bengals.
For most other teams, it’s highly unlikely that any of those extreme scenarios would occur. For the Bengals, who have a history of arguably ill-advised stubbornness, it’s important to keep these potential outcomes on the radar screen.
‘Shemar Stewart Can Re-Enter the 2026 Draft’ — NFL Analyst Floats ‘Extreme’ Option for Bengals Rookie Amid Ugly Contract Dispute
One NFL analyst asserts that Cincinnati Bengals rookie defensive end Shemar Stewart could take a stand that would flip the nature of rookie negotiations. By the middle of June, most recent draft picks have signed their entry contracts and officially begun their journey to the NFL. In recent memory, draft picks will take the contract parameters and stay in contract changes. However, Stewart does not walk that path due to an unsigned contract. He left mandatory minicamp, and that could affect the long-term future of the Bengals. The longer this goes, the longer the longer Stewart will lack any substantive pass rush to scheme around, which Hendrickson compounds with his own company’s name, the more likely it is that Stewart will play with the Bengals sooner or later. In the meantime, the Bengals will probably play with Stewart until the Bengals go on for another contract. The Bengals’ contract includes an option for them to void future guarantees. Stewart remains unmoved and unchanged.
While their headspace gets clouded with scheme knowledge and practice schedules, the bond among teammates starts to form. However, Stewart does not walk that path due to an unsigned contract. He left mandatory minicamp, and that could affect the Bengals in the long run.
Could Shemar Stewart Enter the 2026 NFL Draft?
Despite the drama surrounding the contract situation, the Bengals and their first-round pick remain at odds over his rookie deal. In recent memory, draft picks will take the contract parameters and stay in camp.
Still, this situation feels different. According to USA Today, the Bengals’ contract includes an option for them to void future guarantees. Stewart remains unmoved and unchanged.
With the negotiations taking an unprecedented turn, Jordan Reid of ESPN talks about one possible option that Stewart can take.
For those wondering (and if it even gets to this extreme), Shemar Stewart can re-enter the 2026 draft, but he would have to sit out a year. This would make him eligible to be selected by any team other than CIN. A year off for a pass rusher that needs development is not ideal. https://t.co/QU5152Ddjg — Jordan Reid (@Jordan_Reid) June 12, 2025
“For those wondering (and if it even gets to this extreme), Shemar Stewart can re-enter the 2026 draft, but he would have to sit out a year,” Reid said. “This would make him eligible to be selected by any team other than Cin. A year off for a pass rusher that needs development is not ideal.”
Pass rushers, although highly athletic, still need to put in their work as rookies. The only way to get those reps is in practice and games. From both sides, this feels like a nuclear option situation over the contract.
It would hurt both parties. For argument’s sake, if Stewart heads into the 2026 NFL Draft pool, what happens? After taking a year off and causing a distraction, it’s doubtful that he would be a first-round draft pick. So, his earning potential on a rookie deal would decrease significantly.
NFL insider Adam Schefter discussed the matter further.
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
“Cincinnati’s unsigned first-round draft pick Shemar Stewart now has left mandatory minicamp, per source,” Schefter wrote on X. “Stewart had been attending team activities, but without a signed contract and with the Bengals asking for certain clauses, no longer.”
Cincinnati is already locked in a contract conflict with star edge rusher Trey Hendrickson, who also missed camp. The perennial Pro Bowler wants a contract commensurate with other pass rushers who recently cashed in on big deals.
Hendrickson’s sack totals over the last two seasons (35) eclipse all of those contemporaries who received significant pay raises. In March, Hendrickson’s bookend, Sam Hubbard, announced his retirement.
For years, the Bengals earned a negative reputation for mishandling player contracts. Now, this bolsters those notions.
The obstinacy between Stewart and the Bengals hurts everyone. The longer this goes, the longer Cincinnati will lack any substantive pass rush to scheme around, which Hendrickson compounds with his absence.
Stewart does maintain his rights to handle his career the way he sees fit. Both sides will continue the stalemate until the language in the contract changes. Stewart will probably play with the Bengals sooner or later. In the meantime, the standoff goes on for another day.