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Ben Child
CINCINNATI — In an ideal world for quarterback Joe Burrow, the Bengals would have already wrapped up all excellent contract points earlier than coaching camp began Wednesday.
However when the Bengals took the sector, a pair notable names have been lacking. Defensive finish Trey Hendrickson is away from the workforce as he seeks a long-term deal, and first-round rookie Shemar Stewart is one the final remaining unsigned draft picks.
For one more 12 months, it is a difficulty the Bengals try to navigate round as they put together for the beginning of the upcoming season.
“Clearly disappointing,” Burrow stated. “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 is not the way it normally works out.
“, it is a enterprise,” the quarterback stated earlier than pausing and deeply sighing. “And that’s the way it’s gone.”
Burrow stated he has been in communication with Hendrickson, a 2024 All-Professional choice and the NFL’s sack chief final season. Bengals coach Zac Taylor, who spoke earlier than apply, stated he didn’t wish to disclose whether or not he had any communication with the four-time Professional Bowler.
When the workforce’s veterans have been set to report for coaching camp Tuesday, Hendrickson posted a photograph on Instagram that confirmed he was in Florida, the place he lives. He informed ESPN’s Adam Schefter that he was not going to report.
Earlier within the week, Bengals president Mike Brown stated the workforce had supplied Hendrickson a brand new contract and that he believed the Bengals star merited a increase. Nevertheless, Hendrickson informed Schefter that the workforce was not prepared to supply assured cash after the primary 12 months of the brand new deal, which has been a function in contracts for different outstanding go rushers this offseason.
Hendrickson’s absence didn’t catch Taylor unexpectedly, with the coach saying he “had a way which may occur.”
Burrow spoke on each side of the state of affairs for Hendrickson and Stewart. He understands the enterprise facet that each gamers are coping with and the way that’s half and parcel of being within the NFL.
“No one’s ever gonna fault the participant for doing enterprise how he feels he must,” Burrow stated. “It is cutthroat enterprise. You gotta struggle for all the pieces you may get. That is the way it goes.”
Nevertheless, when requested whether or not all sides of these negotiations ought to specific extra urgency to resolve these issues, Burrow did not disagree with that notion.
“The sooner you get this stuff achieved, the higher,” Burrow stated.
Within the first coaching camp apply, the protection did not endure with out Hendrickson or Stewart. They’d loads of good moments towards Cincinnati’s beginning offense for the complete morning session.
It considerably strengthened Taylor’s perception that the extended dialogue in regards to the contract holdouts has not been a distraction for the workforce.
“It is newsworthy, actually,” Taylor stated. “The blokes which were within the locker room, they simply wish to go maintain enterprise. It doesn’t come up for us. I perceive in [media] settings it’ll come up. However for us, it would not come up.”
