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Ben Child
CINCINNATI — Bengals rookie defensive finish Shemar Stewart left Cincinnati’s necessary minicamp Thursday amid a contract dispute.
Stewart, the Bengals’ first-round draft choice, has not participated in any of the staff’s offseason exercises. Based on a supply, the dispute is centered on interpretation of language within the contract that would have an effect on assured cash.
“He wasn’t right here at present, so we simply centered on the fellows that have been right here,” coach Zac Taylor stated after the Bengals accomplished their three-day minicamp.
Taylor had combined feedback relating to the previous Texas A&M star.
The seventh-year coach stated he has had “optimistic conversations” with Stewart amid the dispute, including that Stewart has attended conferences, been optimistic in that side of his strategy, and performed job of studying forward of the upcoming season.
“For all of the rookies, you want them to be on the sector,” Taylor stated. “However actually there’s issues that occur over the course of an NFL profession, and that is one in all them proper now.”
Taylor indicated, nevertheless, that he wasn’t essentially happy with Stewart’s feedback earlier this week.
Stewart, when requested Tuesday by ESPN about how lengthy he thought the contract dispute may final, indicated that he is not searching for something totally different or distinctive from earlier Bengals draft picks.
“In my case, I am 100% proper,” Stewart stated. “I am not asking for nothing that is by no means been performed earlier than. However in [the team’s] case, y’all simply need to win an argument as a substitute of profitable extra video games, in my view.”
Taylor, when requested Thursday about Stewart’s criticism of the entrance workplace, stated the 2 had “good communication” after these feedback have been made.
“Primary, we need to defend our staff in our locker room,” Taylor stated. “I perceive when there’s frustration there. That is how he selected to do it and that is his prerogative. And we sit up for getting him again within the fold.”
Stewart is not the one Bengals cross rusher attempting to iron out a contract state of affairs.
Trey Hendrickson, a four-time Professional Bowler and an All-Professional choice final season, skipped the whole necessary minicamp as he seeks a long-term contract extension. He has stated he has no intention of taking part in out the ultimate yr of his present deal.
Bengals heart Ted Karras understands the seriousness of each conditions and why every participant is seeking to defend his personal enterprise pursuits. And in chatting with reporters Thursday, Karras stated that feeling extends to the remainder of the staff.
“The primary factor I need to say is I do not suppose, to both of our defensive ends, that there is not any harboring resentment on this locker room to them,” Karras stated. “I actually hope that each camps can determine this out as a result of we now have a extremely good staff. We have had a brilliant productive spring, and also you simply don’t need this to hold over into the summer season.”
