The Cincinnati Bengals formally have two fairly large messes on their arms.
On Tuesday morning, star edge rusher Trey Hendrickson posted on his Instagram story that he was in Florida whereas the remainder of the Bengals veterans reported to coaching camp.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter famous that long-term extension talks broke down earlier than camp resulting from disagreements over assured cash. The Bengals are solely providing Hendrickson one 12 months of totally assured money, despite the fact that different prime cross rushers like Maxx Crosby, T.J. Watt and Myles Garrett obtained three years of totally assured cash this offseason.
Hendrickson’s absence from coaching camp—and the truth that he left the state of Ohio fully throughout a messy contract dispute—got here simply sooner or later after proprietor Mike Brown instructed issues had been going nicely in negotiations with arguably the workforce’s most necessary defensive participant.
“I feel it’ll get carried out,” Brown mentioned Monday.
However the contract drama for Cincinnati’s protection doesn’t finish there.
Rookie defensive finish Shemar Stewart, who the Bengals chosen No. 17 total, nonetheless has not signed his rookie deal due to a assured cash dispute.
In line with Stewart, he’s asking for a similar protections the opposite 31 first-round picks throughout the league obtained. He stays the NFL’s solely unsigned first-rounder, as each different rookie has reported to coaching camp.
“If we get a participant who does one thing unacceptable, guess what? I don’t need to pay him,” Brown mentioned when requested concerning the dispute. “I actually don’t. If he’s sitting in jail, I don’t assume I’ve to pay him.”
That’s a fairly wild assumption for an proprietor to casually toss out about his first-round rookie.
Then once more, it’s not unprecedented—particularly this 12 months. Cleveland Browns second-round rookie operating again Quinshon Judkins was arrested for battery and home violence earlier this month earlier than even signing his first NFL contract. The Browns are letting his authorized scenario play out earlier than transferring ahead.
This has turn into a sample in Cincinnati. The Bengals had a brutal time extending Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, despite the fact that they finally bought these offers carried out to assist Joe Burrow.
But when the Bengals are critical about making one other Tremendous Bowl run, they could need to notice simply how dangerous their protection was final season—and maintain these two edge rushers earlier than it spirals additional.
