CINCINNATI Bengals rookie Shemar Stewart has gone back to school during his contract standoff.
Stewart, 21, was the team’s first round NFL Draft pick in April out of Texas A&M.
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But he has yet to sign his contract and didn’t take to the field during the team’s minicamp.
And the defensive end’s latest move could spell danger for the Bengals.
Stewart has been spotted practising with his former team.
The 21-year-old could just be keeping himself in shape for if and when his contract standoff ends.
But there is an option for him to declare for his senior year in college and reenter the draft in 2026.
Stewart could then be drafted by any team next year other than the Bengals.
He has until November and Week 10 of the season to sign his contract with the Bengals.
CBS Sports college analyst Bud Elliot said, “A guy who has had some good A&M stuff in the past, he hit me, he’s like, ‘Hey, Shemar might end up back here.’
“He’s been at College Station, he’s been fully involved in workouts, He’s holding out from the Bengals, relationship is toxic.
“He could try to come back and play again this season and go into the draft again next year.”
Another option that Stewart could take is to ask to be traded to another team.
Stewart’s reason for holding it cannot be to do with the finances of his deal.
He was the 17th overall pick, which means his earnings will be $18.94 million over four years.
Rookie salaries coming out of the NFL Draft are already pre-determined by the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
The holdout is said to be around some of the language in the contract.
Stewart apparently claimed the Bengals added new language which wasn’t used with the team’s last two first-round picks.
The team is said to be trying to protect themselves in case Stewart is unavailable due to injury.
“I’m 100 percent right,” Stewart said about his stance.
“I’m not asking for nothing you all have never done before.
“But in you all case, you all just want to win an argument instead of winning more games.”
