The Cincinnati Bengals opened training camp with two glaring absences, and even bigger contract headaches.
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Star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson posted on Instagram Tuesday morning that he was in Florida while the rest of the team's veterans reported to camp. His no-show comes amid stalled negotiations on a long-term extension, with ESPN's Adam Schefter reporting that talks broke down over guaranteed money.
The Bengals are reportedly only offering Hendrickson one year of fully guaranteed cash. By comparison, elite edge rushers like Maxx Crosby, T.J. Watt, and Myles Garrett all received three years of guaranteed money this offseason.
Making matters worse, Bengals owner Mike Brown had told reporters just one day earlier, "I think it'll get done," when asked about Hendrickson's deal.
But it's not just Hendrickson holding out.
First-round rookie Shemar Stewart — the No. 17 overall pick — still hasn't signed his rookie deal. Stewart says he's simply asking for the same protections every other first-round pick in the league has already received. As of Tuesday, he's the only unsigned first-rounder in the NFL.
Bengals Have Issues
Brown raised eyebrows with his comments on Stewart's situation, saying, "If we get a player who does something unacceptable... if he's sitting in jail, I don't think I have to pay him."
That's a jarring hypothetical to drop when discussing a 21-year-old who hasn't played a single snap — and hasn't had so much as a speeding ticket.
The Bengals struggled to keep Tee Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase happy in recent years. Now it's the defense. If Cincinnati's front office doesn't clean this up fast, their Super Bowl window could close just as quickly.
