Bengals open 2024 camp with chaos as first-rounder Shemar Stewart holds out and Trey Hendrickson's contract looms. Can Cincy fix its defense in time?
StatPro NFL Beat Reporter
The gates are open at Kettering Health Practice Fields, and the Bengals veterans are officially back in the building. But as training camp kicks off on this Tuesday, a sense of unease hangs in the Cincinnati air. Instead of pure optimism, the dominant storylines revolve around two crucial defensive players who aren't fully accounted for: unsigned first-round pick Shemar Stewart and star defensive end Trey Hendrickson.
The Bengals have lost their first two games in five of Zac Taylor's six seasons as head coach.
In a league where rookie contract disputes are nearly extinct, the Bengals find themselves in a glaringly unique position. First-round edge rusher Shemar Stewart remains the NFL's only unsigned first-round pick. The issue isn't the money—his four-year, $18.97 million deal is slotted and fully guaranteed—but rather the fine print. Stewart's camp is pushing for contract language regarding guarantees that mirrors what last year's pick, Amarius Mims, received. The Bengals, however, are holding firm on stricter terms. This has led to a standoff reminiscent of Roquan Smith's 2018 holdout, and with Stewart already missing rookie camp, every day he remains unsigned is a day a key piece of the new-look defense isn't on the field.
On the other end of the experience spectrum is Trey Hendrickson. The veteran Pro Bowler is entering the final year of his contract and is due $16 million this season. After skipping mandatory minicamp, all eyes were on him as veterans reported today. While he's been in town for charity events and training, Hendrickson has remained silent on whether he'll participate in camp activities as he seeks a new deal. His absence would create a massive hole in the pass rush, and the uncertainty alone is a significant distraction the team doesn't need.
These two contract dramas couldn't come at a worse time. The Bengals are entering 2025 with immense pressure on head coach Zac Taylor after the team missed the playoffs last season. That disappointment led to the firing of defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, whose unit ranked a dismal 25th in total yards allowed. Stewart was drafted to be a cornerstone of that defensive rebuild. With him absent and Hendrickson's status in limbo, the two biggest pillars of the pass rush are question marks. This is especially concerning for a coach notorious for slow starts.
As camp begins, the focus shifts from offseason hypotheticals to on-field realities—or, in this case, absences. The immediate future hinges on the front office. Can they find common ground with Shemar Stewart and get their prized rookie into camp? Will Trey Hendrickson report to the practice field, or will this situation escalate? How the Bengals navigate this early turbulence will likely define the start of a season where anything less than a playoff berth will be considered a failure.
