Overview

• First-round pick Shemar Stewart declined to practice and left mandatory minicamp on June 12 due to a contract disagreement over voidable guarantee language.
• Four-time Pro Bowler Trey Hendrickson also skipped minicamp while pursuing a long-term extension beyond his current final-year deal.
• The Bengals insist on contract clauses allowing the team to void future guarantees if a player defaults, a provision Stewart’s camp opposes.
• Coach Zac Taylor has maintained communication with both players and emphasized team unity despite their absences from offseason activities.
• The unfolding disputes illustrate the franchise’s broader struggle to reconcile cap flexibility with players’ demands for secure guarantees.