Bengals Rookie Shemar Stewart Signs Contract Attends First Practice

Shemar Stewart, the Cincinnati Bengals' first-round pick, officially signed his rookie contract after a public and contentious negotiation period, ending his holdout and missing three practices and the entire offseason workouts. Following his signing, Stewart participated fully in his first NFL practice, receiving extra instruction from defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery to catch up on missed play installs. Despite the tough negotiations, Stewart expressed no regrets and defended his agent's aggressive approach, which secured him a larger portion of his signing bonus upfront. Bengals coach Zac Taylor emphasized moving past the contract dispute, focusing instead on Stewart's integration into the team and supporting him going forward. Stewart's arrival is seen as a crucial addition to a Bengals defense needing improvement, with high expectations given his physical attributes and potential. The team and Stewart are now looking ahead to the season with optimism as he begins his professional career on the field.