Is Shemar holding out?

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

(11 hours ago)XsandOs Wrote: Yes. Bengals can trade his rights, but it would be a damaged goods trade. No other Team would give a a return commensurate with the 17th pick of 2025. 

The alternative is to retract the offer and Shemar can enter the draft next year. Or Shemar can refuse to sign the offer and do the same.

My view is that if Shemar doesn't sign the offer and misses camp, and decides to sign the week before season opener, he is of minimal value this year for us. 

I think he might just become a 2025 free agent then. If you retract the offer, you're giving up rights to him. I don't believe a team can sit on a drafted player's rights while refusing to offer him at least the bare minimum of the rookie contract slotted for his pick.

[XsandOs]

(9 hours ago)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: I think he might just become a 2025 free agent then. If you retract the offer, you're giving up rights to him. I don't believe a team can sit on a drafted player's rights while refusing to offer him at least the bare minimum of the rookie contract slotted for his pick.

Based on what I have read, retracting an offer forfeits the Team's rights to the player. The said player can re-enter the draft in the following year.

In this case, Bengals can justify the retraction as refusal to sign the offered contract.

It is an extreme case and both parties will suffer.

My point was if Shemar misses camp and pre-season and decides he will sign the contract the week of season opener, what value will he deliver to us this year? How many weeks will it take for him to learn Golden's system? How many weeks will it take for him to adjust to NFL speed and physicality? Will he pout and throw temper tantrums, if he feels he should be playing, while Golden doesn't think he is ready? 

Should the Bengals pay him $9M this year to play half the season? 

[TecmoBengals]

(Yesterday, 04:14 PM)rfaulk34 Wrote: Jokes on you! Got some vintage Little Kings on ice, dude. 

[George Cantstandya]

(9 hours ago)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: I think he might just become a 2025 free agent then. If you retract the offer, you're giving up rights to him. I don't believe a team can sit on a drafted player's rights while refusing to offer him at least the bare minimum of the rookie contract slotted for his pick.

(2 hours ago)XsandOs Wrote: Based on what I have read, retracting an offer forfeits the Team's rights to the player. The said player can re-enter the draft in the following year.

If I understand the CBA correctly if the Bengals retract their offer Stewart would become an undrafted rookie and can sign with another team. I think he would still be subject to waivers though??  

Quote:If the Club does not make or withdraws the Required Tender, the player immediately becomes an Undrafted Rookie, with the right to negotiate and sign a Player Contract with any Club, subject to the applicable provisions of Article 7, and any Club is then free to negotiate for and sign a Player Contract with such player, without any Draft Choice Compensation between Clubs or First Refusal Rights of any kind, or any signing period. 

Quote:For a player to whom the drafting Club retains the exclusive NFL rights pursuant to Section 4(a) above, the Club must tender a four-year NFL Player Contract for the Minimum Active/Inactive List Salary for such League Years, within the thirty-day period specified in Subsection (a) above. If the player is released through waivers, the player immediately becomes an Undrafted Rookie, with the right to sign an NFL Player Contract with any Club, subject to the provisions of Article 7, and any Club is then free to negotiate for and sign a Player Contract with such player, without any Draft Choice Compensation between Clubs or First Refusal Rights of any kind, or any signing period. 

In the above case I think he would lose his 1st round pick guaranteed salary if signed with another team.

Stewart could enter the draft again next year if he refuses to sign and does not sign a contract with another professional football league, like CFL.  In the later case the Bengals would retain his rights for 3 years.  If for some reason he was permitted to play in college again this year and does so the Bengals would still have his right next year. 

[TecmoBengals]

I thought this was interesting: https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/nfl/bengals/2025/07/22/longest-nfl-rookie-holdouts-shemar-stewarts-bengals/85328799007/?tbref=hp

Joey Bosa is the longest NFL rookie holdout at 31 days under the current structure. He signed before the last preseason game.

Michael Crabtree, WR had a 72-day holdout with the 49'ers in 2009.

The article also mentions how Bo Jackson never played for Tampa Bay during the '86 season.

So, will Shemar pass Bosa's 31-day holdout?

[*ochocincos*]

(11 hours ago)XsandOs Wrote: Yes. Bengals can trade his rights, but it would be a damaged goods trade. No other Team would give a a return commensurate with the 17th pick of 2025. 

The alternative is to retract the offer and Shemar can enter the draft next year. Or Shemar can refuse to sign the offer and do the same.

My view is that if Shemar doesn't sign the offer and misses camp, and decides to sign the week before season opener, he is of minimal value this year for us. 

Unfortunately, not signing Stewart and letting him reenter the draft doesn't return anything to the Bengals in terms of draft pick, just saved $$, which they already have plenty of.
But honestly, if that saved $$ from Stewart would end up helping extend Hendrickson for another 2-3 years, I'm actually for it.
I really don't wanna see a proven sack leader walk out the door in favor of pure potential in hopes that dude becomes something in 3-4 years.

[XsandOs]

(1 hour ago)George Cantstandya Wrote: If I understand the CBA correctly if the Bengals retract their offer Stewart would become an undrafted rookie and can sign with another team. I think he would still be subject to waivers though??  

In the above case I think he would lose his 1st round pick guaranteed salary if signed with another team.

Stewart could enter the draft again next year if he refuses to sign and does not sign a contract with another professional football league, like CFL.  In the later case the Bengals would retain his rights for 3 years.  If for some reason he was permitted to play in college again this year and does so the Bengals would still have his right next year. 

This is a topic that needs clarity, and I would be interested in input such as yours.

I was under the impression initially that if we retract the offer, he can sign with anyone. But as I searched it further, that does not seem to be the case.

As I understand it, if the Bengals retract the offer indicating refusal to sign, he has to wait one year to re-enter the draft.

The CBA doesn't address this area specifically: https://overthecap.com/collective-bargaining-agreement/article/6

[XsandOs]

(1 hour ago)ochocincos Wrote: Unfortunately, not signing Stewart and letting him reenter the draft doesn't return anything to the Bengals in terms of draft pick, just saved $$, which they already have plenty of.
But honestly, if that saved $$ from Stewart would end up helping extend Hendrickson for another 2-3 years, I'm actually for it.
I really don't wanna see a proven sack leader walk out the door in favor of pure potential in hopes that dude becomes something in 3-4 years.

I agree with you on all accounts.  

Ideally, having Shemar signed and training with the Team would be the best option. But he has until the Tuesday after week 10 of the season to sign his offer. 

Losing Trey would be disastrous. 

[SunsetBengal]

(1 hour ago)George Cantstandya Wrote: If I understand the CBA correctly if the Bengals retract their offer Stewart would become an undrafted rookie and can sign with another team. I think he would still be subject to waivers though??  



In the above case I think he would lose his 1st round pick guaranteed salary if signed with another team.

Stewart could enter the draft again next year if he refuses to sign and does not sign a contract with another professional football league, like CFL.  In the later case the Bengals would retain his rights for 3 years.  If for some reason he was permitted to play in college again this year and does so the Bengals would still have his right next year. 

I think that you are correct. I also read it as he would pretty much be the same as a UDFA.

[Nepa]

Shemar didn't practice at the OTAs. He isn't at the training camp. It seems he is becoming less and less valuable for the season as this drags on, particularly given the transition to the pros and his lack of sack production in college. It was already uncertain how much he could contribute this year.

At this point, the Bengals Front Office might as well give their final offer, indicate negotiations on a better offer are ending, and just focus on getting Trey signed. The money they save from Shemar's non-show could be used to entice Trey to sign. He's the proven player that they need.