Good Start: Bengals 1st Round Pick Shemar Stewart Still Isn't Signed, Blasts The Front Office For 'Wanting To Win Arguments More Than Winning Games'

This right here is why I can never take the Bengals serious. They can have an elite QB in Joe Burrow. They can have arguably the best WR in the league in Ja'Marr Chase. They can have this offense that can score with anyone and be considered a threat in the AFC. But at the end of the day they are still the Bengals. They still have a front office that fucks things up. It's just who they are, it's a common theme with teams. 

It's not even the Shemar Stewart situation either. 

[Source] - The Bengals' first-round pick will be present for practice but is not participating. This is due to a continued dispute over the language in his contract. A source told The Enquirer the Bengals are trying to set a new precedent with rookie contracts that allows the team to void future guarantees. He won't practice with the Bengals until his contract situation gets resolved.

Stewart is requesting that his contract language mirror the last two Bengals’ first-round picks, both of which were selections after pick No. 17. Right tackle Amarius Mims (2024) was selected with the No. 18 overall pick and defensive end Myles Murphy (2023) was taken at pick No. 28.

You have Trey Hendrickson sitting out over a contract dispute, you had Germaine Pratt

Again, it's the Bengals way. Shemar Stewart has been a member of the Bengals for mere months and is already calling out the front office for wanting to win an argument more than winning games. You have him saying all the other players are saying he's right. 

Incredible start and I don't know how any Bengals fan tries to blame Stewart for this. It's been decades of the same story with the franchise. I also don't get how you don't blame front offices when it's clear the problem is more than just one player. I know the Trey Hendrickson situation is different and what he's asking for, but when you keep having problems at some point it's just who you are as a franchise. 

Any time you can piss off the NFL sack leader from a season ago, your first round pick and most of your fanbase in June, you simply have to. That's what the Bengals are working with.