Shemar Stewart, the first-round rookie, wants improved language in his first NFL deal. Right now, the Bengals are looking at a toothless defense unless some resolutions are reached. ESPN's Ben Solak explains, though, that Stewart's situation is hinging a lot on Hendrickson. Here's Solak's thinking:

The Cincinnati Bengals appear to be at a stalemate with rookie first-round pick Shemar Stewart. The former standout linebacker at Texas A&M University was selected No 17 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft and that’s about as much progress the team made towards officially making him a Bengal.

Shemar Stewart remains the lone unsigned first-round pick from the 2025 NFL Draft. The Bengals' 17th overall pick is still stuck in a frustrating high-stakes contract standoff as training camps are just a few days away.

With NFL training camps opening up around the league, it should be time for teams to start focusing on their on-field preparation for the 2025 season. However, a few off-field situations still linger that could create substantial headaches if not addressed soon.

Cincinnati Bengals first-round pick Shemar Stewart remains unsigned due to contract language disputes. The Texas A&M pass rusher could re-enter the 2026 NFL Draft or potentially return to college football if negotiations fail,

The NFL officially has its first training camp holdout of 2025 and there could be quite a few more coming over the next few days. Tre Harris of the Los Angeles Chargers became the first player to hold out this year when he didn't report with the rest of the Chargers' rookies on Saturday.