2025 Minicamp

[ArmyBengal]

19 minutes ago, HoosierCat said:

Trading camp sked is out. Camp starts June 23, wraps Aug. 10.

https://www.cincyjungle.com/2025/6/11/24447431/2025-bengals-training-camp-dates

Be safe boys.
Healthy = good.  Injuries = bad.

[HoosierCat]

For me (and as always YMMV), the bottom line re the Stewart holdout is this: You are free to feel however you feel about whether the clause in question is justified or not. You are free to feel however you feel about the player, his agent, and our front office personnel. But the fact remains that it was the Bengals' choice to insert it into this contract proposal, with this player, and with this agent. This is on them.

[COB]

I’m curious to hear what our new DC and o-line coaches do at training camp.  There is serious pressure on these guys.  Neither position group got seriously upgraded player wise.  We did draft an edge and a LB, but, obviously, rookies.  O-line strategy?  You tell me.  The bengals are putting a ton of stock in the theory that the coaches needed improved, and these guys better produce. 

[ArmyBengal]

My take as it appears?

Defense = All on Golden, go to war with what you've got.
O-line = All on Peters, go to war with what you've got.

Fortunately for me, I happen to think the world of both Golden and Peters.
I like to feel that both Knight and Carter will help the linebacking corps.
I also like to feel that Fairchild will be better than Volson at LG.  Then again, maybe he doesn't beat him out.
But yeah... rookies.

The free agent addition of Lucas Patrick should stabilize the RG position as well.  Right?  Maybe?
I hate the thought of Ford at RG.  My opinion of him = ass.

As of right now, Ford is the only new starter on the offensive side of the ball.  No other changes.

The defensive side sees more changes with, as of right now, 6 new starters from last year.
Ossai, Slaton, Knight, Burks, Battle, Hill  (Subject to change).

[HoosierCat]

Taylor making some camp sked changes this year to try and help with the early season struggles.

Quote

When camp opens July 23, nine of the first 11 practices run from 10 a.m. to noon rather than his schedule of mid-afternoon workouts that usually went from 2-4.

"I think it will be good just to change it up. A lot of guys have been through this routine before," Taylor says. "As we get close to the season, we'll get more to the afternoon because that's where we'll play our games. At 1 o'clock in the heat.

"There's an element of that we want to prepare for as well. But I think it will be good to hit the grass early in the morning and get some good work done and then do all the above-the-neck stuff in the afternoon."

…

During many of his OTA days that run from late April to early June, Taylor has often met with the team just once a week and then only briefly. But this year, he did it every day with a focus on the players directing things.

He has put one player at the front of the room to either present a game situation that a coach would usually handle, or tell their own stories about how they got to the league.

….

Taylor is trying to help, knowing he can have them on campus for not more than 11 hours during camp. He also took the temperature of his own coaches and spoke with some of his head coaching peers before Doug Rosfeld, chief of the coaching staff, sent the sked on its way.

It basically flip-flops the day, which used to start with a walk-through and now ends with a walk-through until the regular season looms.

"Guys need to prehab and eat lunch, eat dinner," Taylor says. "Start the day with a quick meeting and practice. Then end the afternoon with a heavy install with corrections, and then walk-through to finish off the night.

"It breaks up the monotony of what the routine has been," he says. "I'm trying to make sure I create the right plan for us. It's got purpose behind it so we'll get off right for this first game."

And, for the first time in a few years, there won't be a joint practice leading up to a preseason game.

"We're just going to focus on ourselves getting right for the first Cleveland game," Taylor says of the Sept. 7 road opener at 1 p.m.

https://www.bengals.com/news/zac-taylor-changes-training-camp-2025 

Dont know if it will help any but I’m a fan of trying everything up to and including more rum for jobu to get a week 1 win.

[HoosierCat]

Pratt a Raider. 1 year deal, per Schefty.

[Stripes]

That's a somewhat surprising landing spot for Pratt. Good luck to him.

[AMPHAR]

4 hours ago, ArmyBengal said:

The injury waiver is another example of where one might fall in the pro owner, pro player debate.

The injury waiver simply allows the team to place the player on IR and it ensures the players will get medical care.
It does not guarantee pay or anything else from a contractual standpoint.

I'm also not going to compare what other players are or have gone through regarding their stupid decisions. Tucker/Watson
Stewart, regardless of my lukewarm thoughts on him, doesn't have those concerns.

Again, we are talking relative pocket change in NFL money, as opposed to negotiating an extension for Trey.
Stewart won't cost $5 million per season while he's here.  That's why teams don't typically cut rookies.
They don't count for much against the cap.
 

Other rookies participated in voluntaries without contracts on the wavier.  He refused.  Thus any reps he missed is his fault, period.    

Of course you aren't going to acknowledge the reason this clause could be necessary.   But those are the reasons why these type of things are popping up and have been for a while.    

I think the Bengals are completely justified in asking/demanding those clauses be included.  Any team is, IMO.   If you aren't going to acknowledge players have been taken off the field by the league office for things that don't even deal with criminal charges then maybe you are biased.   

So that's the defense you asked for.    There have been actual missed training camp time under the rookie slotted system because of wording dealing with recovery of guarantees.   So I don't think teams see it as relative pocket change.   I don't think its accurate to paint this as a Bengal issue and no other team attempts to do this.  They have.

 

 

 

 

 

[AMPHAR]

I wonder if the Colts ever got involved with Pratt?    Pratt had some great moments in the stripes.  

[AMPHAR]

The morning camps are a welcome change, IMO.   I'll try to make one.    A lot cooler. 

 

[AMPHAR]

6 hours ago, HoosierCat said:

For me (and as always YMMV), the bottom line re the Stewart holdout is this: You are free to feel however you feel about whether the clause in question is justified or not. You are free to feel however you feel about the player, his agent, and our front office personnel. But the fact remains that it was the Bengals' choice to insert it into this contract proposal, with this player, and with this agent. This is on them.

Offset language concerning guarantee money has been a reality the whole time under the rookie slotting system. 

I believe this is pointing out Chase got a payment sooner based on being on the roster vs. earning it over the 17 weeks of the season in the form of salary.   The offset language was he couldn't hold out. 

Quote

A training camp holdout wasn't a realistic possibility for Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, who was 2021's fifth overall pick, last July. If he hadn't reported by the third day of training camp, he would have forfeited his $3,807,679 roster bonus. With the $3,807,679 as base salary, Chase wouldn't have been facing this type of financial penalty by holding out.

Quote

Nearly every team besides the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Los Angeles Rams require offsets with salary guarantees for draft picks, including those selected in the top 10.

 I believe the hot take generators troll negative fans with this kinda of stuff.  

If fans feel the need to take sides.  I'd suggest reading the below and probably realize they aren't getting the whole picture.    

 

Informative article below

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/agents-take-2025-nfl-rookie-contract-projections-for-key-round-1-picks-with-wage-scale-explainer/

[Allentown21]

On 6/10/2025 at 5:44 PM, TJJackson said:

rookies need practice reps

so I am worried N O W

I wouldn't be too worried about pass rushers. You can miss some time in camp and still hit the ground running as a pass rusher. 

 

I understand your general point tho

[AMPHAR]

15 hours ago, COB said:

I’m curious to hear what our new DC and o-line coaches do at training camp.  There is serious pressure on these guys.  Neither position group got seriously upgraded player wise.  We did draft an edge and a LB, but, obviously, rookies.  O-line strategy?  You tell me.  The bengals are putting a ton of stock in the theory that the coaches needed improved, and these guys better produce. 

Al seems pretty confident he's got talent to work with.   But that could be his personality and persona when talking to the media.    Very upbeat in his last interview.

How that plays out on the field is anybody's guess at this point.   

[AMPHAR]

Myles Murphy gave up his captain crunch.   He don't give no fucks about Shemar's reporting date.       Shemar was always walking into a battle for snaps any first round DL was with this roster.   The time he missed is easily replaced at this point.    If the hold out is used as some kind of excuse then probably was never the player they thought.

Myles Murphy going into year 3.   Always looked out of shape.  Boom cuts out cereal.  Maybe that's the magic pill.  Maybe Shemar shows up and is the freak we hoped and sends Murphy on his way.    There's just a bunch of guys in Shemar's way working with their NFL lives on the line.    A former 5 star, SEC player knows the drill of camp competition and would easily figure out a way to supplement missed camp time.

Bloggers/Reporters are good at words but don't recognize that dynamic because they are good a words not running thus its about feelings.  Probably played no cut sports up until middle school if they played at all. 

 

 

 

 

[ArmyBengal]

15 hours ago, AMPHAR said:

Other rookies participated in voluntaries without contracts on the wavier.  He refused.  Thus any reps he missed is his fault, period. 
Of course you aren't going to acknowledge the reason this clause could be necessary.   But those are the reasons why these type of things are popping up and have been for a while.    

I think the Bengals are completely justified in asking/demanding those clauses be included.  Any team is, IMO.   If you aren't going to acknowledge players have been taken off the field by the league office for things that don't even deal with criminal charges then maybe you are biased.   

So that's the defense you asked for.    There have been actual missed training camp time under the rookie slotted system because of wording dealing with recovery of guarantees.   So I don't think teams see it as relative pocket change.   I don't think its accurate to paint this as a Bengal issue and no other team attempts to do this.  They have.

Dude, chill out.  This isn't an argument.  I'm not trying to "win" anything here.  Just discussing.

Let me go through this.

1. What other players do has no bearing on Stewart. If they choose to take the risk, that's on them.  Stewart isn't required to do so.  Couple that with he's the only one (to this point) that is having this specific issue, which the BENGALS created.

2. Could a clause like that be necessary?  Sure, but to what end?  They want the ability to not pay out guarantees IF Stewart jacks something up.  They want to extend that through the life of contract, as opposed to just the guarantees for the year he jacked up whatever he did.  I can see that being a tool a team could want to use.  HOWEVER AND AGAIN, we aren't talking about a $30m per year payout.  This is LESS than $5m per season.  They are going to get Stewart for 4 years for LESS than they are offering Trey for a single season. Why all the fuss over pocket change?  It is pocket change as well.  Even if it's multiple years, at $5m per, that's nothing in the NFL contract world.  God knows the Bengals have pissed away far more than that in the past.

3. Of course players have been taken off the field by the league office, but what in the world has Stewart done which makes this sucj a foregone conclusion that they just have to get back their $5 million?  Does he have a history or some criminal activity?  Has he been banging 15 year olds?  What is causing them to be sooooo concerned about him?  If the answer is predicated on productivity on the field, then they shouldn't have drafted him.

4. I would be interested to see the exact language of the clause, but all we have is what has been reported.  If teams want to include them, fine, but I suspect until that becomes a staple across the league players are going to push back.  If any of us were in his position, we would probably be like, "Why are you doing this to me, when you have NEVER done this to any player before?".  Fair is fair right?

So unless there is some reason fans haven't been told about Stewart's background that hasn't been shared (like him liking little boys with big ears and no teeth).  I still call BS.  Not because there isn't a potential use for a clause of that nature.  Communication is key and it sounds like the Bengals haven't done that very well.  But then again, it's not like that's a strong suit of theirs.

[AMPHAR]

1 hour ago, ArmyBengal said:

Dude, chill out.  This isn't an argument.  I'm not trying to "win" anything here.  Just discussing.

Let me go through this.

1. What other players do has no bearing on Stewart. If they choose to take the risk, that's on them.  Stewart isn't required to do so.  Couple that with he's the only one (to this point) that is having this specific issue, which the BENGALS created.

2. Could a clause like that be necessary?  Sure, but to what end?  They want the ability to not pay out guarantees IF Stewart jacks something up.  They want to extend that through the life of contract, as opposed to just the guarantees for the year he jacked up whatever he did.  I can see that being a tool a team could want to use.  HOWEVER AND AGAIN, we aren't talking about a $30m per year payout.  This is LESS than $5m per season.  They are going to get Stewart for 4 years for LESS than they are offering Trey for a single season. Why all the fuss over pocket change?  It is pocket change as well.  Even if it's multiple years, at $5m per, that's nothing in the NFL contract world.  God knows the Bengals have pissed away far more than that in the past.

3. Of course players have been taken off the field by the league office, but what in the world has Stewart done which makes this sucj a foregone conclusion that they just have to get back their $5 million?  Does he have a history or some criminal activity?  Has he been banging 15 year olds?  What is causing them to be sooooo concerned about him?  If the answer is predicated on productivity on the field, then they shouldn't have drafted him.

4. I would be interested to see the exact language of the clause, but all we have is what has been reported.  If teams want to include them, fine, but I suspect until that becomes a staple across the league players are going to push back.  If any of us were in his position, we would probably be like, "Why are you doing this to me, when you have NEVER done this to any player before?".  Fair is fair right?

So unless there is some reason fans haven't been told about Stewart's background that hasn't been shared (like him liking little boys with big ears and no teeth).  I still call BS.  Not because there isn't a potential use for a clause of that nature.  Communication is key and it sounds like the Bengals haven't done that very well.  But then again, it's not like that's a strong suit of theirs.

I think you need to read that article.    You've been misled or trolled by the media that has been pushing the agents view.   

1. Shemar could have practiced.  Not required to but there was nothing contractual from stopping him.   It 100% wrong to try to spin that as a contract dispute.  His team chose to make that statement. 

2. Offset clauses are and have been common practice league wide.

The agent is playing semantics describing it as new.   I guess the wording might have never been used but they clearly have signed rookies with protection clauses.  See the Chase example above.

I don't know for sure but I would guess the Bengals would be completely agreeable to the most conservative payment structure allowed with minimal additional language.  The player wouldn't.   As they hammer out the payment structure clauses get inserted to protect the team.

Does the guy want to play NFL football or not? 

 

 

[AMPHAR]

This is in an example:   The below suggest Chase could have taken $3.8m in the form of salary.   Meaning he earns it game by game.     His agent got him a roster bonus instead.  I'm guessing the appeal is he gets his money in August vs. waiting and risking it being cut sometime before 17 games was up.   Crazy to think about that now but at the time he's a draft pick and who knew what his career could have been?

If you apply that to Myles Murphy.  I don't know what his payment structure is.  But for his sake I hope its roster bonus because he could find himself on the outside looking in because he has under performed.

But the action of turning the payment in roster bonus caused the offset language or clause.    Take it as salary the need for the clause becomes void because wouldn't earn it without being rostered.

I think the agent isn't wrong.  But neither are the Bengals.   I think the further it goes I think the agent is doing a disservice to his client.   However, I think the over effects of losing May, June or even July practices is exaggerated.    Just NFL business.  

 

Quote

A training camp holdout wasn't a realistic possibility for Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, who was 2021's fifth overall pick, last July. If he hadn't reported by the third day of training camp, he would have forfeited his $3,807,679 roster bonus. With the $3,807,679 as base salary, Chase wouldn't have been facing this type of financial penalty by holding out.

 

[volcom69]

My gosh this front office still is a joke. Regardless of who’s right and who’s wrong, he is not lying when he says they are more interested in winning arguments than winning games. It’s so annoying at this point, his contract should not be that hard holy crap. As far as Trey goes, just pay him they have the money, why make this so difficult, if they want to win then they should be serious enough to pay the guy. Ugh so frustrating again 

[AMPHAR]

13 minutes ago, volcom69 said:

My gosh this front office still is a joke. Regardless of who’s right and who’s wrong, he is not lying when he says they are more interested in winning arguments than winning games. It’s so annoying at this point, his contract should not be that hard holy crap. As far as Trey goes, just pay him they have the money, why make this so difficult, if they want to win then they should be serious enough to pay the guy. Ugh so frustrating again 

Same logic applies to him.   He sat out when he could have played.  He has put his career on hold in favor trying to win a contract dispute.    

Its NFL business.  If you are annoyed by it quit reading/listening to outlets that are trolling you.

 

 

 

[volcom69]

I agree the whole Stewart things is stupid and he should sign, I don’t really know what was said in the contract, but seriously they should be able to figure this out. I didn’t really like this pick to begin with, but can’t take it back now so just figure this crap out and sign

[AMPHAR]

57 minutes ago, volcom69 said:

I agree the whole Stewart things is stupid and he should sign, I don’t really know what was said in the contract, but seriously they should be able to figure this out. I didn’t really like this pick to begin with, but can’t take it back now so just figure this crap out and sign

2nd round pick is unsigned and was on the field.   His contract negotiations are not in the media because he chose to be on the field.    Shemar's camp chose a different path then went public with it.  His dad has been on the radio and Shemar called out the front office earlier in the week.     

The guy has gotten bad advice or simply isn't making good choices.      Sure taking shots at the front office will get immediate positive reaction from a segment of the fanbase.  Then reality sets.   He still is a draft pick the majority of Bengal world hated at the time.  A lot of the national NFL ridiculed him at the time despite mock drafts having him as a solid first rounder.    

Just dumb to be acting the way he is.   He could have been on the field and simultaneously fought any clause he wanted to and put nothing at risk. 

What happens if/when he pulls a hammy, gets off to a slow start or whatever after making such a fuss?    The segment of the fan base that cheered him when he took his shot at the front office will flip on his ass so fast.     

Once the emotion from the negative portion of the fan base wears off and it always does because those fans aren't objective.  I hope he gets off to a hot start.  I'd hate to be him if he has 0 sacks entering week 3. 

Its somewhat sad he's being used by an agent and the media that need clicks to pander to a negative sports fan.

 

 

[ArmyBengal]

I'm good.  Moving on.

I'm really interested in seeing this defense and what Golden does with the scheme.
I don't usually hit up training camp practices, but might do that this season.

[AMPHAR]

Golden is very good with the media.  You can tell he's a former HC.   I don't think he'll be with the Bengals very long. 

 

[AMPHAR]

Quote

It is my understanding they're offering the same language in this clause as the majority of first-round contracts and, for reference, have offered the exact language of the pick before (Walter Nolen) and after (Grey Zabel). It's different than that of Murphy and Mims the last two years and the Bengals generally structure contracts differently than most teams with guarantees, which matters. But the language being proposed for this specific clause is common across the NFL.

This most likely comes from the Bengals as his source.      No reason why Shemar couldn't enjoy Zac's mini camp just like the 2nd round pick that also isn't signed. 

Shemar has dug in over a common practice.  Great.  

Makes me wonder if Shemar has something in his past that isn't publically known.   I hope not.   What a horrible job of representing this player.   

Might as well advise Andre Smith to run a 40 yard dash without his shirt on. 

 

 

 

[HoosierCat]

Shrug. Bengals picked the fight. I have no doubt Stewart will eventually sign, but for now we are where we are.

Anyhow, in actual news, Taylor says the starters may get reps in more than one preseason game, which hasn’t happened since 2019. I approve, even given the injury risk.

McPherson 1 for 3 on 50+ tries today.