Bengals QB Joe Burrow is just not blissful that neither Trey Hendrickson nor Shemar Stewart is in coaching camp amid contract disputes. Whereas he’s not pointing fingers, he known as the scenario “clearly disappointing”, which isn’t uncommon for the group. That is the second straight 12 months the Bengals are coping with an All-Professional sitting out, final 12 months being Ja’Marr Chase.
Granted, the Bengals by no means resolved that challenge final season, and Chase went on to win the Triple Crown, serving to Joe Burrow put up MVP-caliber numbers. However additionally they began the season 0-3 after which missed the playoffs by one sport. Not having Trey Hendrickson and Shemar Stewart round actually received’t assist the protection get off to a quick begin.
The Bengals know their gradual begins are a serious downside, which is why they plan to play Joe Burrow within the preseason this 12 months for greater than 5 seconds. However there doesn’t seem like any outward indication of the present drama coming to an in depth. It doesn’t assist that Bengals proprietor Mike Brown attributed Stewart’s stubbornness to foolishness or that Hendrickson effed off to Florida.
“You’d wish to have all of your guys on the market Day 1 to attempt to construct that cohesion that I used to be speaking about earlier, however that’s not the way it often works out”, Burrow stated about Hendrickson and Stewart not being current after calling the scenario disappointing, by way of Ben Child of ESPN.
Burrow has been by the negotiation course of earlier than, although, so Hendrickson and Stewart have his sympathies. “No person’s ever gonna fault the participant for doing enterprise how he feels he must”, he stated. “It’s cutthroat enterprise. You gotta battle for every little thing you may get. That’s the way it goes”.
Reportedly, the Bengals are solely prepared to supply Hendrickson ensures within the first 12 months of a brand new deal, whereas Stewart’s challenge considerations void language over ensures. We don’t know precisely what language Stewart and his agent object to, however we all know it’s new for the Bengals.
Final season, Trey Hendrickson led the NFL with 17.5 sacks and earned first-team All-Professional honors. The Bengals preferred Shemar Stewart sufficient to make use of their first-round decide on him. These are gamers that they covet, but they’ve allowed contract talks to achieve this level. Joe Burrow expressed some frustration, urging, “The sooner you get this stuff carried out, the higher”.
Precisely when any of those conditions are resolved is unknown, however as we noticed with T.J. Watt’s extension, it could come about at any level. Trey Hendrickson could possibly be on a aircraft tomorrow to signal a brand new deal. Shemar Stewart is coaching at his alma mater, however he might quickly be shaking fingers with Joe Burrow. Till that occurs, although, most agree that it’s a nasty search for the Bengals.