Locked On Bengals - Daily Podcast On The Cincinnati Bengals - Contract DRAMA rules Bengals' offseason | Another Hendrickson statement, and what's up with Shemar Stewart negotiations?

Episode Date: May 12, 2025

The Cincinnati Bengals' offseason has been marked by contract drama. Whether it's Tee Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase, Trey Hendrickson and Shemar Stewart, or Hamilton County, negotiations have been aired out in public along the way. And given their recent history, the front office isn't getting the benefit of the doubt. Jake Liscow and James Rapien dive into the latest in a long saga of tiresome contract drama as the Bengals are ramping up the offseason program.Join the Locked On Bengals Insider Community! https://joinsubtext.com/lockedonbengalsFind and follow Locked On Bengals on your favorite podcast platforms:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/locked-on-bengals-daily-podcast-on-the-cincinnati-bengals/id1159723162Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7AObc0lh0WmQl5fJVgtajsGoogle Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vbG9ja2Vkb25iZW5nYWxz?sa=X&ved=0CAYQrrcFahcKEwio_sXtj8nuAhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQAgStitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/locked-on-bengalsSupport Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNBA for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.Monarch MoneyTake control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code LOCKEDONNFL at monarchmoney.com for 50% off your first year.FanDuelRight now, new customers can get TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS in BONUS BETS when your first FIVE DOLLAR BET WINS! Download the app or head to FANDUEL.COM to get started. Bet with FanDuel—Official Partner of the NBA. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Cincinnati Bengals off season has been nothing, if not dramatic, tiresome, certainly dramatic. More contract drama. Let's dive in. You are locked on Bengals, your daily Cincinnati Bengals podcast. Part of the Locked on Podcast Network, your team every day. What up Bengals fans and welcome to another episode of the Locked on Bengals podcast. Part of the Lockdown Podcast network, your team every day. make, let's go. He's James Rapine, and we've been covering the Cincinnati Bengals here on Lockdown

Bengals since 2016. And if you're new to the show, you're not already one of the everydayers. We appreciate you if you already are one. You can hit that subscribe button on YouTube, anywhere you get your podcast and become an everyday or not miss an episode of Lockdown Bengals. You might even go so far as to make Lockdown Bengals your first listen. Many of you already do that. We appreciate all of you who make us part of your daily routine. And James today, we dive into a variety of contract, drama situations facing the Cincinnati Bengals as Trey Hendrickson goes through Adam Schefter to issue another statement. Shamar Stewart goes through Mike Florio of pro football talk to issue his own statement,

essentially, in a bit more of a clandestine way because Trey was directed to the point. We'll get to what's going on with the rookies later in the show. but Trey Hendrickson, not happy, recurring themes all over the place here, James. Nothing really new in the strict sense of the word new other than Trey Hendrickson has newly kicked the Hornets Nest on Monday. Trey Hendrickson's pissed. Let's call it like it is. He's mad.

I'll read the statement in just a second that he gave to Adam Schaeftor, but Trey Hendrickson wants a new deal. And it's May 12th. And I hate to pat ourselves on the back, but guess what? I will. Remember after they got Jamar and T done? And there were all these reports that were like, oh, the focus is on T. Hendrickson.

And these Twitter insiders were like, I'm hearing that the Bengals and Trey. And then you had the national folks. Like, it's for the past two months, it seems like anytime Trey's brought up, it's optimistic. Even still there's some optimism. That's fine. but there has been nothing moving, there have been no movement. The reason I would pat ourselves on the back is we said it was going to take some time. And I still think it's going to take some time.

It doesn't feel imminent by any stretch. But Trey is clearly upset here with this process. And the thing about communication is amplified. I wonder what his next step is if it continues to go with this route. But let's read the statement here that he gave to ESPN's Adam Schaefter, quote, no communication has taken place between my camp and the organization post draft. The offers prior to the draft did not reflect the vision we shared and were promised last offseason if I continue to play at a high level.

Coaches are aware of these past conversations. Rather than using collaboration to get us to the point to bring me home to the team, they are no longer communicating. I've been eagerly awaiting a resolution of this situation, but that's hard to do when there is no discussion and an evident lack of interest in reaching mutual goals. Trey Hendrickson not feeling the love, doesn't feel cared for,

doesn't feel any of that. And I think that's part of it too, man. I think he wants to feel the love and get paid. And the Bengals certainly haven't communicated enough to make him feel wanted or valued. And at some point, maybe they pay him, but that point doesn't feel like it's going to be Monday,

May 12th, or Tuesday, May 13th, 513 day. There are so many elements of this that are recurring themes. They didn't pay T and Jamar early or Trey early. They could have started a negotiation with Trey Henderson late last summer a year after he had agreed to the previous extension. But instead, they said, we'll get it done next year. And so there's this element of, we'll take care of you later. There's this element of now things cost more because they waited. and it costs more for their receivers,

and so they have less money than they otherwise could have had if they had gotten those receiver deals done proactively. Like, oh, wait, and you're sick of me saying this, I'm sure if you're listening, the Eagles would have gotten those deals done as soon as they possibly could, and the Eagles aren't the only team in the NFL that would have gotten those deals done aggressively.

Another part here that is an ongoing trend is this lack of communication that we've heard multiple Bengals players or ex-Bengals players, discuss when it comes to contract negotiations with the team to the point where it's fair to suspect that this is a tactic from the team, that they go silent at points when negotiations get hard as part of a negotiating tactic. Is that something that they're doing intentionally or is that they simply can't multitask? Because those seem to be the two possibilities to me. Either

they're so busy with figuring out Shamar Stewart and Demetrius Knight and the stadium lease and they were so busy getting all the undrafted free agents done and the other rookie contracts ironed out that they haven't been able to get back to Trey Hendrickson yet, or they are doing this on purpose. Those are a couple of possibilities there. And the other thing that is certainly true in all of this that is not a criticism of the team is that the team got Trey Hendrickson on a great deal for the team that does not any longer reflect Trey Hendrickson's market value. but he agreed to the original deal and he agreed to the one-year extension.

And so that is part of the issue here as well is that he is under contract this year. And while he is certainly not getting paid market value and other teams would certainly approach us differently. For the Bengals and their perspective, they're seeing a player that is a bargain this year, who's played at a great high level for them the last two years, who is over 30, and they certainly fear will fall off a cliff at any moment because that's the way the Bengals think. And they're thinking, why will we give this guy a crazy contract? And so there are all these different factors here that are themes and recurring themes for this front office that I'm not excusing the front office to be abundantly clear here. But it's not necessarily anything new.

It's the same problems or ongoing problems. Sure. And as you were breaking it down, especially at the end there, the age and all that stuff, it's like, okay, well, that's why you added all these other pieces, right? Like I, like, you're, you plan to make Trey play it out because you've added it and you've added all these other pieces to replenish the defense and bolster the offensive line into, oh, wait, you didn't add a veteran in the offensive line room. That's a proven starter and clear upgrade. you didn't add multiple pass rushers or veterans to multiple levels of your defense in free agency not starters not starting caliber right it's like oh well what what the hell were you doing and that's what's so it depends on both sides of this because i do think the bengals are going to

approach try and try to get something done with them i also think they clearly are are looking at it like, like you said. And so does that mean that they insult him? Because when you see that statement or read that statement or just heard that statement, it's May 12th. If they at any point got close, I'm not sure Trey is reaching out to Adam Schaefter. I'm not sure Trey Hendrickson goes on Pat McAfee last month. I mean, this has been a pretty consistent thing now where you have multiple

we've seen Trey at least what do four national interviews slash statements you have the statement the Schifter you have two McAfee appearances if you'd go back to the Super Bowl I think he went on Ross Tucker

one of those other NFL pods as well since at least four to five this offseason and none of them have felt like at any point he was encouraged by talks and I'm sure I don't think this is going to get quieter put it that way maybe I'm maybe I'm reading it wrong, but it feels like it's only going to get louder and become more of a distraction, the longer it goes on.

And it's probably the only leverage Trey has. So brace yourself because it might get worse before it gets better. I'm sure everyone is just thrilled looking forward to another training camp with contract drama for an important veteran. Aren't you excited? Is that Trey Hendrickson? Oh, Trey Hendrickson's here in a ball cap. Here's Trey Hendrickson. Here's a video of Trey Hendricksson walking out to practice. I do not want to do that.

The Bengals shouldn't either. And that's a good segue. I have a question for you about Trey Hendricksson and his future. I'm going to ask Jake. Let's go away. Big question that you might be asking yourself coming up next. Today's show is brought to you by Fandall. Fandle is America's number one sports book.

And the NBA playoffs are in full swing. And every night delivers. Highlight worthy performances. This playoff has been awesome. We're only in round two. And you have so many storylines. Steph Curry out. The Cavaliers just stubbing their toe every which way.

Ha, that's a Darius Garland joke. In all seriousness, the Cavaliers down 3-1. Will they rally against the Pacers? Will the Celtics be able to rally back against the Knicks and get to the Eastern Conference finals? There's so many storylines. Plus, you have this whole Janus, a tentacoupo thing, lingering over league meetings in Chicago this week.

And so with Fandul, America's number one sports book, you can get in on all of the fun, all of the big moments, all of the comebacks, all of the buzzer beaters. And right now with Fandall, sign up at fandle.com and you'll get $200 in bonus bets if your first $5 bet wins. Again, it's the perfect time. Head to fandle.com, place your first $5 bet. If it wins, you'll get $200 in bonus bet. Make every moment more with Fandle, official sports betting partner of the NBA. A big question, you say, James.

What do you got? A big question. And it's one that I think you and me have been semi open to, but knowing what the Bengals are and who the Bengals are. We've said, ah, well, it's not going to happen. It would cost a lot all of those things. And there was an artificial deadline with the draft. How open to you, how open to a Trey Hendrickson trade are you right now, given where things are at, given that this could get pretty ugly. And how open should the Bengals be right now, essentially given the same circumstances? I mean, there's a situation now where the Bengals make Trey play it out. And he clearly will not be happy doing that.

He clearly wants to get paid. Should the Bengals be considering a potential trade trade just to avoid that, if nothing else? I still think you suffer a ripple effect of not being able to get the deal done from a player confidence in the front office perspective with a trade, much like having this linger into training camp creates the same issue. It won't be maybe as present because they won't notice the lack of Trey Hendrickson on the field every day, but him being on the roster. But I think that that still creates a lot of the same talking points. They're not paying this guy who has been in the NFL defensive player of the year race, who has been a 34-sack and two-year player. And so it doesn't really save you from those talking points inside the locker room,

as much as we're concerned about player morale and confidence in the front office willingness to spend on their good players. It doesn't really fix Joe Burroughs complaint about the team letting good players walk. So if it is a trade, to me it only makes sense if it is a rare win-win player-for-player trade. And finding that trade partner who has, I think it would even have to be a player at the same position to really make it work. If you can find that trade partner where you can get an established edge player who's, maybe not as good as Trey, but is

solid, then maybe you could be open to it. Maybe there's a defensive tackle out there that can make sense. And that's a way that you could approach this and say we're going to move the strength of the defensive line to the interior. But finding those trade partners at this part of the offseason, I mean, this isn't something that the NFL is good at

the way that Major League Baseball might see a player for player trade every now and then. Certainly the NBA. can see player for player trades that can sometimes be mutually beneficial. But for the most part, all American professional sports leagues are trading established players for assets, whether it's money or draft picks. And doing that at this point, that's a tough pill to swallow. If you're saying we're still going to deal with the fallout of not paying Trey from a Joe

Burrow confidence perspective, from a player confidence perspective, maybe a little bit less, like I said, because he wouldn't be on the roster or just not there. So maybe it's not as much of a daily talking point throughout training camp, but you still get that impact. And your return is a future asset and tangibly making yourself worse this year, that I think is very tough to swallow if that is a kind of return, like a normal return that they would get for a trade Hendrickson trade. Yeah, I think it's interesting. Like what would it take? because if you're getting a second round pick or a second and a third, you don't just makes you worse.

You're in win now mode, right? And whether or not we agree with what they've done, they view themselves that way. I don't think there's any doubt about it. That's why they paid Jamar and T. They view themselves as this team that can go win right now. And so the one that I would throw out there, and I don't think the Colts would do it,

but obviously Quentin Nelson, if you're getting him, that would be awesome, right? That would be one where you're like, all right, well, let's have the discussion. Positional value be damned. It's like, all right, well, you're at least protecting Joe. I don't think so, though. I don't think that that's something that the Colts are in the business of doing as they try to figure out if Anthony Richardson can be a franchise quarterback or not. And so, Liatu Latu, their first rounder from last year, he had four sacks, pretty good

PFF numbers. I don't know if you're getting a lot to the 15th overall pick last year, whatever it was. I got a good rookie year. I'm not sure that's happening. And so that's what makes it tough is even if you did that, by the way, that obviously makes you worse. But like finding that balance, if you were to do it, it's a conversation that I would start to have. And I think that's where, that's why I think Trey's going to get louder. Because if I'm Trey Hendrickson and I want to get paid and you know, like,

you got to do it now. Well, honestly, you can't really give a damn about how loud and how much of a distraction you are. Because you have to force their hand and make it either, hey, pay me and let's get this done, which I think he ideally wants or just get me out of here so I can get paid. And saying it and then being ugly about it and getting to that next level, like the Bengals are willing to get in the trenches from a negotiating standpoint. And so if you want to push them, you have to be willing to do that too. Think about Jamar with tea. Jamar got a certain

level, admittedly, certain level in negotiations and said, ah, go talk with tea. Like, that's, that's an interesting thing that the Bengals have never been in position to deal with. Trey doesn't have that. And the only lever he really has is being. out. And he's not really a loud guy. It doesn't really talk to the media much. Would not shock me if that gets louder here because that's the lever. That's the card that he has to play if he's going to have a shot at getting paid his way and not the Bengals way, whatever they offered him pre-draft. Realistically, what's his leverage, right? It's tough. Yeah. Sitting out and then you're giving up the money that is on the table for you

and the whole point of this is to get paid. It's a tough situation for Trey Hendrickson. And I understand why the Bengals are being stubborn because from a business perspective, from a financial perspective, they can play hardball here. It is ugly. The optics are terrible.

But Trey Hendrickson is either playing this year for a $16 million deal or he's going to get fined and he's not going to play or maybe he shows up at the latest possible time for his contract to actually count for this year so he can become a free agent and it gets extremely ugly and goes into the regular season. This is the same front office that didn't blink at Carson Palmer sitting up. And I don't think that Trey Hendrickson is significantly different or going to have an impact that Carson Palmer could not have all those years ago. the other element here is Joe and and the the big difference between the Joe era and the Carson era is Joe and Joe has pressed buttons ahead of time I think did pre-draft that's part of why AJ Green was tagged when he was like I I think that there was a very real oh my God we got to make sure that Joe Burrow that there's a certain standard here let's go out and get DJ Reader and Trey Waynes and start to build like I do think they felt that.

some as an organization. And we've seen that throughout their time. What does he say? He's scheduled to talk Tuesday. That's out there now. So I'm not the one putting it out there, powers that be Bengals wise. I wonder what Joe's going to say about Trey Hendrickson. And I do think that that's another lever.

If I'm Trey, like, hey, Joe, do you have my back? I need you to have my back now. And how Joe handles that, his star receiver is in their prime versus a guy who is playing in his prime, but he's going to be 31 in December. He might not care. He might not view it any different, but I do wonder how he handles this one. I mean, he's been on record for it,

and that's what I was saying. If they trade trade, Joe's not going to be happy about that. That will be seen as an admission of defeat. Like, we couldn't get it done. So we're pulling the last resort lever. And at this point, if they trade, tray, they've lost a lot of their trade leverage, too.

Not that I expect them to get swindled, but that just gets harder. The longer this goes on and the more stubborn Trey is about it. And maybe the Bengals are like, hey, Trey, if you want to be loud, fine. Go find a team that's willing to give up a one for you. Go get us the Titans first next year, Trey. I'm sure they still feel that way. But good luck.

You know? The Trey saga continues. I don't think we have a resolution here. It's the same stuff. Like I said, there's nothing really new today other than Trey has issued another statement, has kicked the hornet nest again, has put this back into. the spotlight Ian Rappaport still expressing optimism on the McAfee show that something will eventually get done. And there's been a tide of national reporters since the draft saying that

something will eventually get done. But Jay Hendrickson making clear that he would like that to happen sooner than later. We would also like to see Demetrius Knight and Shamar Stewart sign their deals and get onto the practice field as the off-season program. I think the Bengals are saving trades money for the rookies? Or, oh. Yeah, let's talk about what is actually negotiable in these rookie contracts. We'll finish the show with the rookies coming up next. Can you see that headline now?

Like, Bengals not paying Trey Hendrickson so they can afford afford Shamar Stewart and Demetrius Knight Jr. I could see it somewhere. Contracts are predetermined by the CVA. The first round pick is fully guaranteed.

The second round pick, honestly, Demetrius Knight should be getting more headlines because that's a more interesting negotiation between the two, but pro football talk, Mike Florio, very transparently, in my opinion, got information from the agent for Shamar Stewart, whose name now escapes me, but I did look it up last night. Essentially is complaining that the roster bonus allocation of future monies in Shemar Stewart's deal is not as big as he wants it to be. The amount of money and the timing of the money from a year perspective, i.e. 25, 26, 27,

28, all of those years are essentially predetermined. The thing that can be negotiated is language in whether the money is in a roster bonus or in a signing bonus in a given year. And so if it's a early in the calendar year roster bonus, we're talking about maybe out of the $16 million or so allocated, first of Marce Stewart's rookie deal, $900,000 to a million. And if you go look at a Marius Mims contract, that's the comparable to me that I look at for the Cincinnati Bengals. So Marius Mims in 2027 has a $1.9 million base salary and a $972,000 roster bonus.

So about a million dollar roster bonus, $2 million salary. And if that is the same offer, roughly speaking, updated for 2025 numbers, that you Samar Stewart has, essentially what his agent is saying is we want that extra million dollars in base salary to be a roster bonus. So he gets that money a couple months earlier. I'm pretty sure that's what's being negotiated. There's no low balling here that the contract is preordained. There's no negotiating over how much money Shamar Stewart's going to get or what's going

to be guaranteed for Shamar Stewart. It's simply where is, I think in that last year in the fourth year of the rookie deal, how much of that money is roster bonus versus base salary? And maybe they're talking about some other years and then trying to find a compromise there. But I'm fairly certain that's what's being negotiated. That is what can't be negotiated in addition to some things like language in rookie contracts. And this is nothing.

This will be resolved? The question is when will Shamar Stewart start practicing with the team? And I think that is a relevant question. But the contract itself and the negotiations around the contract itself that are being inflamed a little bit here, by PFT, I think, are nothing. There's almost nothing there. The only reason this is a thing is because he's not practicing. That's it.

Yeah. Amarius Mims last year, I looked it up, practiced. I was working with Frank Pollock. It was Matt Lee and Amarius Mims. I put highlights up at bengels talk.com. Like it was a whole thing because I was like, man, did Amarius miss last last? And it's same rookie minicamp. It was held in the indoor in the bubble.

And I was like, all right. So that's the difference is choosing not to. And I do think it's interesting. And as we record this on Monday, the Bengals have already practiced today. As of now, we haven't seen whether or not it's not like they've posted, oh, well, here are the rookies walking out and you see a clip of Shamar. Like maybe that happens by the time you hear this. But that's the story here now.

is like, is he willing to not participate in the off-season program at all? Because if so, then it starts to matter. Like, I don't really care about rookie minicamp, and we kind of discussed that on yesterday's show. Like, I don't think a lot is getting done. But it is going to matter with a guy that could realistically start that you're definitely banking on, especially when we're talking about Trey Hendrickson,

just potentially not being there for who knows how long. Yeah. Like, that's when it matters. So if Shamar really is willing to just sit out, well, then the urgency of the contract part of it matters. And by the way, like, people are going to go after Shamar. It's the advice he's getting. And so then that should increase the Bengals urgency. And according to the PFT article, they did try to get a deal done with him.

They didn't get a deal done with Amaris Mims until July 22nd last year. So I don't really care about the contract either, but if Shamar cares that much and his group cares that much, that it needs to get done for him to participate in the offseason program, I think that matters, especially when you have a guy in Jerry Montgomery who's supposed to maximize things and defensive line specialist and Al Golden and a new defense. And that does matter between now and basically a month from now when the offseason program ends. I would like to see Shamar Stewart make plays. So this could be completely nothing if we see him out there Tuesday. Or it could be something if he's in a ball cap, which is certainly not where I want to see him or where the Bengals want to see him. It's Zach Hiller, the agent for for Samar Stewart of LAA Sports. And I looked into this only because I was curious about exactly how much represent.

and experience Zach Hiller has in the NFL. This is loyalty above all is the agency. It's an entertainment. His NFL clients are a bunch of running backs. Dobbin Cook, James Cook, J.K. Dobbins. Zay Flowers, a non-running back. Daryl Revis is still listed as one of his top clients. And he's obviously been out of the league for some time.

And Samar Stewart. And after that, Osiris Torrance is the only other guy that I really recognize on the list of clients here. So I think he's an interesting note there. I wonder if he he's got Dorel on the entertainment side because this guy's like he he did represent Revis when Revis was still playing. Revis switched to Hiller at some point. It must have been late in the game.

Yeah. I was going to say Hiller was like in high school and Revis was locking down Chad. So you know like seriously like he's around my like he's around my age, I believe. So. interesting. There's also some when you when you search for Zach Hiller on Google, this is very Tim Foil-Hackens conspiracy theory at this point, just to be clear. But you get the Google disclaimer that some results have been delisted consistent with local loss. So I don't get some information, like some of the stuff that you would normally get about an NFL agent,

like a client list or anything like that. There's been some search results for Dacted, which is just a weird note for for hiller but hopefully they get it done and this isn't another agent that the bengals can't work with which is a ridiculous concept yeah hold on relax yeah yeah yeah yeah if you're going to get people jumping off it it's it's absurd that this is a story in the first place is what i'm trying to get to in and so it's just because he's not practicing why isn't he practicing is it something to do with the language of the bengals waiver that's been thrown out there on the internet we haven't been able to to confirm that to be clear. There's no indication that the Bengals waiver is different from any

other team. Maybe it is. We haven't been able to confirm that that's the case. Yeah, it's could be nothing. Could be a lot. Should be nothing. We'll see on Tuesday. I mean, literally Tuesday, our topics are going to be what Joe said. Yeah. It's going to be a lot of, on our next show. What Joe said, Trey again, and, was Shamar out there? Any other takeaway? Like it's going to be a lot of the same stuff with new with some new tidbits and information. Obviously, the

Joe thing will be the lead unless something crazy happens. But yeah, and you're right about Demetrius Knight, by the way. I think that one's far more interesting. And is he asking for a fully guaranteed deal like your boy

Swessinger got from the Brown's 33rd overall? I don't think he's likely asking for a fully guaranteed deal, but the amount of guarantees and second round pick contracts is increasing and is negotiable. And so as we're seeing across the league, increasing amounts of second round picks being guaranteed, that could be an interesting point of conversation between Demetrius Nice representation and the Bengals representation.

And that would be something that the Bengals could struggle with, given their issues around guarantees philosophically. But honestly, he's so. So at his age, he's not getting a second deal. So you could give him that guarantee money now. It's enough. The age jokes are never ending. And I've only made a few of them on the pod.

So I've been pretty good. It's just an issue of the Bengals philosophy around guarantees and then having to guarantee money that they previously didn't have to guarantee. And that is a more interesting NFL-wide trend and a more interesting storyline for the Bengals to me that is not getting a lot of publicity because no one's talking about it and writing about it on the national level, but some keen observers have talked about it on social media,

some Bengals observers have talked about it. We've now put it out into the world as well. That is something that I think we'll be watching. But maybe these deals just get done before media shows up for the open practice this week, which is on Tuesday, like you said. And then this just goes away. Because this really is, like,

compared to the Trey Hendrickson stuff and all the other contract drama, small potatoes that has really been amplified partially because of less than fully reputable accounts of the Bengals waiver that we've been unable to confirm and pro football talk

getting a hold of what's going on with Shemar Stewart because he's not practicing. Demetrius Knight Jr. and Zach Hiller, the agent for Shemar Stewart at the same age. Okay. I'm joking. It's another age joke. All right.

I waited too long to say it. I let you finish. But anyways, yeah. Well, hopefully we see these guys on the field. Let's be honest. They're going to get paid. These rookie, like, it's going to get done. You don't want the business side to get in the way of what could be valuable reps.

And I can throw away the rookie mini camp BS, but I do think that this week matters for these rookies. The ramped up part of the offseason program, which is about where we're getting. getting to at this point where they're doing a little bit more in this part of the offseason program. Like these are valuable parts of the year. It's, it's extremely important to have these guys fully participating by training camp. And if it gets to that point, then this is a whole other conversation. We're very far away from that. But we do, we will be talking about it this week.

Yeah, this sets the foundation for camp. Like, for all these rookies that haven't been there. Like, I don't need Trey here. But these guys that haven't done it, of course it matters. Of course it does. So we will have updates for you from the open practice on Tuesday. And then we've got the schedule. So a bit of a busy week here as the offseason program continues,

we'll walk from these rookie contracts. We'll have a schedule to talk about. We'll see if the NFL can write some wrongs, like stop giving the Bengals Thursday night road division games. We'll see what the NFL thinks about that complaint on, Wednesday. Until then, thanks for listening to this episode of the Lockdown Bengals podcast. Hoodey. Now, have a good one.