The Bengals seem to invent new ways to frustrate their fans (and players) every year, and that's once again happening this year.  The team's first-round draft pick, Texas A&M pass rusher Shemar Stewart,

The implementation of a rookie wage scale in 2011 has largely ended contract holdouts of draft picks, with a couple of exceptions.

Cincinnati Bengals rookie Shemar Stewart skipped the final day of the team’s mandatory minicamp practice as he remains in a contract dispute with the club.

Breaking down how ugly things could get between Bengals and Shemar Stewart  If there's one thing that became clear this week, it's that things are getting contentious between Shemar Stewart and the Bengals.

With a contract impasse over an esoteric clause regarding the potential voiding of the future years of his guaranteed four-year rookie deal, Bengals defensive end Shemar Stewart has left the team’s mandatory minicamp. Because he’s not under contract, he had every right to leave if he wanted.

The absolute worst-case scenario (which won't happen) between the Bengals and Shemar Stewart involves the 2026 draft.

Breaking down each situation It has been exactly 50 days since the first round of the NFL Draft and in that time, 28 of the 32 picks from the opening round have signed their rookie deals. Heading into Friday,

Shemar Stewart has a chance, maybe, to do something no football player has done before.There's a path, albeit an unlikely one, for the holding out Stewart to return and play college football at Texas A&M this fall.