The Cincinnati Bengals defense is having a terrible time getting deals done with some of its best defensive starters. Pass rusher Trey Hendrickson is still without a new deal. He is expected to be traded, and team captain Germaine Pratt was just released after he led the team in tackles in 2024. Now, defensive lineman Shemar Stewart is growing frustrated over his rookie contract talks.
The 2024 campaign was abysmal for the Bengals' defense. While their offense led the league in passing, the defense gave up splash plays left and right. As a result, they loaded up on young defenders in the 2025 Draft, but their first-round pick is still unsigned as the new season quickly approaches.
Bengals remain inept on the defensive side of the football
When the Bengals drafted Stewart out of Texas A&M with the 17th pick in this past year’s draft, they were getting a high-ceiling pass rusher who could become an explosive playmaker at the NFL level. While he had just 4.5 sacks over his three seasons with the Aggies and never tallied more than 1.5 in a single season, the traits are there for the 21-year-old. However, there may be a rookie holdout in store.
Since the draft, Stewart hasn’t held back on the contract negotiations. As a first-round selection, the salary should be rich, but the two sides haven’t been close. Stewart finally had enough and threw the front office under the bus.
"I'm 100 percent right. I'm not asking for nothing y'all have never done before. But in y'all case, y'all just want to win arguments (more) than winning more games." Stewart said.
While Stewart doesn’t have much ground to stand on as a rookie and still needs to prove himself in the league, it shouldn’t be a shock to see the Bengals struggling to reach a deal with a potential defensive star. And it likely won’t be the last.
If the Bengals haven’t reached a deal with Hendrickson at this point, Stewart might be a lost cause. Hendrickson led the league in sacks last year with 17.5 and rightfully wants a new deal. He, too, has become disgruntled with the front office.
While we don’t know the details of Stewart’s extension talks, seeing how the team has extended gifted weapons like Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to lucrative deals, it’s clear they have a high priority towards offensive talent. The release of Pratt reaffirms this.
When Pratt was released, it was a surprise. He helped stop the nosebleed on defense and was one of the few players to contribute on a consistent basis. With his release, the need for future stars on defense is crucial, but the recent Stewart dilemma shows they haven’t learned, and there’s no sign that they will.
The Bengals head into 2025 without an answer on defense, and somehow, it’s gotten worse with the recent news surrounding some of their best defenders. The offense is still high-powered and one of the best in the league, but as teams like the Ravens scout the Bengals, their atrocious defense should have players on offense itching to play them on Sundays.
