Ja’Marr Chase press conference at Day 2 of Bengals training camp
Bengals receiver Ja’Marr Chase spoke in a press conference after the second day of training camp at Paycor Stadium.
The Cincinnati Bengals and first-round pick Shemar Stewart reached an agreement on his four-year, fully guaranteed deal on Friday afternoon, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported.
In exchange for accepting the new language the Bengals are adding to the contract, Cincinnati is giving Stewart an extra $550,000 upon signing in addition to the 50 percent he will receive when he puts pen to paper. Stewart will get the rest of his signing bonus in a second payment in December.
The Enquirer spoke to Stewart’s father, Moe Marquez, following the announcement of the agreement on Friday night. Marquez said the Bengals reached out to Stewart’s representation throughout the week with an effort to compromise.
“It was more on them,” Marquez said of how the agreement was reached after months of tough negotiations. “They were willing to work and compromise.”
Just in: Shemar Stewart and the Cincinnati Bengals reached agreement on a four-year, fully guaranteed $18.97 million contract that includes a $10.4 million signing bonus, per his agent Zac Hiller of LAA.
Every 2025 first-round pick now has a deal. pic.twitter.com/LU3vRJEl9v
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 25, 2025
Stewart and the Bengals have been at odds over the language in his contract for the last three months. The No. 17 overall pick didn’t participate in any of the voluntary offseason program and didn’t report for training camp over the weekend.
When Stewart signs his contract on Saturday, a Bengals off day, he’ll be able to practice with the rest of his team on Sunday and begin his NFL career. Stewart was the last first-round pick from this year’s class to sign his rookie contract.
Now, all eyes turn to Trey Hendrickson as he remains the only player holding out in Cincinnati. And in the meantime, Stewart is ready to put all of this behind him and move forward.
“It’s time to work,” Marquez said. “This is what we wanted more than anyone else, Shemar is on a mission to prove himself right.”