Multiple Bengals Players Hold Out Amid Contract Disputes

The Cincinnati Bengals are facing multiple holdouts as they approach the 2025 NFL training camp. All-Pro defensive end Trey Hendrickson is absent, demanding a long-term extension with guaranteed money comparable to the league's top pass rushers, while Texas A&M first-round pick Shemar Stewart is refusing to agree to contract language regarding conduct detrimental to football, causing a standoff with Bengals management. Bengals president Mike Brown criticized Stewart's position as "foolish," emphasizing that such contract stipulations have never been problematic in the team's history and expressing frustration with the holdout. Defensive coordinator Al Golden is tasked with revitalizing a predominantly young and unproven defense, focusing heavily on improving the secondary that contributed to the team's failure to make the playoffs last year. The Bengals' defensive lineup remains largely the same, with key returning starters and several young players expected to develop. These holdouts and contract disputes create uncertainty for the Bengals as they prepare for the new season.