The Cincinnati Bengals continue to take heat for the Shemar Stewart contract standoff.
While some heat gets directed at Stewart himself for not putting ink to paper and practicing with his teammates, the Bengals’ long history of contractual issues (never mind the current issue with Trey Hendrickson) continues to put them under fire.
The latest comes from Robert Mays during an appearance on the Mina Kimes Show.
“No matter who it was, doing this with a guy that you drafted in the first round is dumb on its own,” Mays said. “The guy, who is the rawest player that you could have drafted in the first round, not getting every single rep in practice in a season where, again, you justifiably want to win your division and want to win playoff games, is very frustrating.”
That’s certainly one way to look at it. For whatever reason, the Bengals decided right now was the time to reset contract precedent when it comes to the voiding of guarantees. That, again, despite the Hendrickson contract standoff.
And that, despite how important it is to improve the defense around the youth movement directed by Al Golden, never mind Mays’ commentary about Stewart being a raw prospect.
Were this not the Bengals and the above not sticking out, perhaps Stewart’s saga doesn’t get as much national coverage. But the fact he wasn’t even practicing was unusual, which has thrown the Bengals under the microscope.
