Shemar Stewart, the Bengals' defensive end, has left the team's mandatory minicamp due to an unresolved contract issue. The disagreement revolves around a clause in his rookie deal that could potentially void future years of his guaranteed four-year contract.

Since Stewart is not currently under contract, he had the freedom to leave the minicamp if he chose to do so. However, his decision to depart was not solely based on the contract dispute but rather to avoid becoming a distraction to his teammates who are already under contract and participating in the camp.

The crux of the matter lies in the specific term in the contract that the Bengals are seeking to modify. They want to alter their standard language regarding the voiding of guarantees to broaden the repercussions of a default in the current year to all subsequent years. Stewart, on the other hand, believes that he should have the same contract terms as last year's first-round pick, Amarius Mims, especially considering he was drafted higher than Mims.

Both parties are standing firm in their positions. For the Bengals, this is consistent with their past behavior of being unyielding during the offseason and training camp, which may hinder their players' preparedness for the upcoming football season. This pattern was evident last year with Ja'Marr Chase and is repeating this year with Stewart and Trey Hendrickson.

Earlier discussions outlined Stewart's limited options in this situation. While he doesn't have many, one possibility is for him to sit out the entire year and re-enter the draft in 2026.