Cincinnati Bengals rookie Shemar Stewart did not attend the final day of the team's mandatory minicamp on Thursday amid a contract dispute that has prevented him from beginning his practices with the team since being drafted in the first round in April.
Bengals coach Zac Taylor addressed Stewart's absence during his press conference following minicamp on Thursday. He didn't seem surprised the rookie wasn't present, adding that there has been "good communication" between both sides to get a deal done. However, he couldn't say if Stewart would sign his contract by the time training camp starts in late July.
“I’m not going to make any predictions,” said Taylor, who had private conversations with Stewart this week. “I think for all the rookies, you’d like them to be on the field. But certainly, there’s things that happen over the course of an NFL career and this is one of them right now. So, he’s been in the meetings, he’s been positive that way. He’s been a good learner. And we look forward to getting him back on the field quickly.”
Stewart attended the first two days of minicamp but did not participate as he has yet to sign his rookie contract. A few weeks ago, it was reported that the the hold-up seemed to be regarding Stewart's training camp roster bonus, Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio shared. This bonus would help Stewart receive more of his pay earlier in the year in future seasons.
Stewart did air some frustrations on Tuesday regarding the hold-up for the Bengals agreeing to what he wants done. He dropped the line "Y'all just want to win arguments (more) than winning more games," which might be telling about where the situation is currently at.
We'll see what ends up happening with Stewart this offseason.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Bengals' Zac Taylor Addresses Rookie Shemar Stewart's Absence From Minicamp.