Bengals Owner Refuses Full Guarantee Amid Stewart Jail Clause Dispute

The Cincinnati Bengals are embroiled in a contract dispute with their 2025 first-round draft pick, defensive end Shemar Stewart, centering on the guaranteed money in his rookie deal. Stewart insists on a fully guaranteed four-year contract worth about $18.97 million, while Bengals owner Mike Brown and the front office want contractual clauses allowing them to void future guarantees if Stewart violates NFL policies or faces incarceration. Brown has been blunt in his refusal to pay a player who might be 'sitting in jail,' emphasizing the team's position that guaranteed money should be contingent on conduct. The dispute has led Stewart to walk out of the team's minicamp and training camp, with no resolution in sight despite Brown calling the hold-up 'foolishness.' Bengals personnel director Duke Tobin supports the team's stance, attributing Stewart's resistance to his agent's advice, though Stewart remains firm that his demands are reasonable and consistent with past precedents. The standoff highlights a new contractual approach the Bengals are testing this season, which could set a precedent for rookie deals.