The No. 17 overall pick said he won’t practice until he signs his contract but has been present for each practice. A source with knowledge of the situation confirmed to The Enquirer that the reason for Stewart’s absence on the final day of minicamp was to not be a distraction to his teammates.

Practically every year, there is a contract negotiation that becomes more contentious than the other discussions about new deals. The situation between the Cincinnati Bengals and edge rusher Trey Hendrickson is on track to be 2025's most bitter contract dispute.

The latest wrinkle in this debate comes from Geoff Hobson of Bengals .com:

With OTA's and mandatory minicamp now concluded, and the Bengals going their separate ways for about five weeks prior to the start of preseason training camp, plenty was said about the supposed forward steps by Cincinnati's defense under first-year coordinator Al Golden.

Whether in communication or contracts, Bengals players are too often treated like numbers and assets more than faces and families.