Bengals crushed by earned reputation with major contract standoffs

The Cincinnati Bengals have modernized in a few ways, which many fans recognize. Joe Burrow's arrival has accomplished that.
But the old-school reputation the Bengals very well earned over the course of decades is something currently being leveraged in a very public fashion during contract standoffs with first-round pick Shemar Stewart and All-Pro edge rusher Trey Hendrickson.
Advertisement
So says Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated:
'Is Hendrickson taking advantage of the leverage created by Burrow's words and the spot the Bengals are in? He'd be smart to do that. Is Stewart piggybacking on the Hendrickson situation to get favorable contract terms? It wouldn't be the dumbest thing to do—though, as a rookie, it'll be vital that he's ready to go. Also important? That the Bengals, after their healthiest offseason in a few years, are ready to roll when they report to camp.'
RELATED: Bengals, Shemar Stewart nuclear option includes 2026 NFL draft route
Breer notes that, beyond the really obvious stuff from over the last few years, the Bengals left their comfort zone on the Ja'Marr Chase deal and made some scouting department shuffles after losing Christian Sarkisian.
Advertisement
But the Bengals will continue to lose the battle of public perception for the foreseeable future. Their history overshadows the fact that Hendrickson signed a short contract extension recently, is 30 years old, was granted permission to seek a trade and has walked back previous holdout threats.
Cincinnati's history also, ironically enough, overshadows the fact that attempting to revise contract leverage, starting with Stewart, is another attempt at modernizing, considering some reporting says the language they want to insert is pretty standard for other teams.
All of these are self-inflicted wounds. Some would call them growing pains for an organization trying to modernize. There will continue to be a lag between the team's more modern actions of late and actual public perception. Right now, players negotiating with the team are smart and within their rights to keep leaning into that leverage when possible.
RELATED: Bengals standouts after mandatory minicamp includes surprises
This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Bengals crushed by earned reputation with major contract standoffs

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

CBS News

31 minutes ago

• CBS News

James Tibbs III reacts to being in Rafael Devers trade, excited for potential future with Red Sox

While the Red Sox will see Rafael Devers in his new San Francisco Giants uniform this weekend, it might be a while before Boston fans see any of the players the team received in the surprising blockbuster. That is unless they head to Worcester or Portland, Maine. While Devers is already mashing for the Giants, the four players the Red Sox received are either injured or in the minor leagues. Hard-throwing reliever Jordan Hicks is sidelined with a foot injury, while lefty starter Kyle Harrison, outfielder James Tibbs III, and pitcher Jose Bello will be taking the bus for the foreseeable future. Harrison was sent to Triple-A Worcester after Sunday's trade was completed, and has yet to make his debut for the WooSox. Tibbs, meanwhile, is now in Double-A Portland where he made his debut for the Sea Dogs on Tuesday. The outfielder/first baseman, who is currently ranked the No. 6 prospect in the Boston system, collected his first career hit at the Double-A level on Wednesday. On Thursday night, he went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI and two runs scored for Portland in a 7-6 loss to Akron. Tibbs spoke with WBZ-TV's and CBS News Boston's Joe Weil ahead of Thursday's game and shared his reaction to being traded to the Red Sox, an organization he had always hoped to be a part of. He just had to take a different and very unexpected route to join the Boston franchise. Tibbs' reaction to be traded to the Red Sox Devers was traded just hours after he hit a home run for Boston in a 2-0 win over the Yankees at Fenway Park. He and his teammates were about to board a flight and head off on a nine-game west coast swing, when Devers was pulled aside and told he had been dealt to San Francisco. Tibbs' trade story was just as interesting. He was wrapping up his final game with the Eugene Emeralds in High-A ball and had just worked a walk in the ninth inning. When he got to first base, he was surprised to see he was being lifted for a pinch runner. When Tibbs got back to the dugout, the team's pitching coach handed him a phone. The director of San Francisco's farm system was on the other end, and told Tibbs he had been traded to the Boston Red Sox. "My first thought was, 'Huh, no kidding. Alright.' A lot of emotion," Tibbs told Weil. "Definitely was very sad to leave those guys; I had a great time over there and had a blast with that group of guys in Eugene. But I was immediately so fired up to become a Red Sox." Tibbs got a taste for baseball in New England when he played for the Brewster Whitecaps of the Cape Cod Baseball League in 2023. "Being in New England and playing in the Cape, I knew the love for Boston sports and the Red Sox specifically," he explained. Then Tibbs started wondering how he ended up in Boston. "Then I was like, 'Alright, who was I traded for?' When I found out it was Devers, I was like, alright, this could go one of two ways. It went both ways for sure, with a lot of mixed emotions. I tried my best not to go on social media and get my feelings hurt," he said. While the reaction among Red Sox fans certainly swayed one way after the trade was announced, it didn't take away from Tibbs' excitement. He said it was extremely humbling to be in the trade package for a player like Devers. "To be a part of something like that, it's very cool, very humbling. Very appreciative of the Red Sox giving me a chance to come and play here," said Tibbs. "Couldn't be a better spot, a better opportunity. I'm ecstatic to be here." Tibbs in the Cape Cod Baseball League Tibbs put together a solid campaign for the Whitecaps in his lone season on the Cape, slashing .303/.390/.472 with six homers, six doubles, 25 RBI, and 17 runs scored over 40 games. He was drawn to the region that summer, and hoped to return for his pro career. "I remember walking away like, 'Wow. This place is fantastic.' The people, the places, there are so many cool spots here. I'm a big food guy, and the food is phenomenal so I'm excited to be back for that as well," he said. What food is Tibbs looking forward to scarfing down the most? "Clams and lobster," he said. "It's hard to beat." Tibbs was drafted by the Giants with the 13th overall pick out of Florida State in 2024. He was hoping to go to Boston at 12th overall, but the Red Sox picked Braden Montgomery instead. (Montgomery was traded to the White Sox in the Garrett Crochet trade over the offseason.) "This was a place I had hoped to play one day," Tibbs said of the Red Sox. "I had hoped they picked me in the draft, but they didn't and now I'm here anyways. Pretty funny how the circle comes around in full." Tibbs is hoping to get a crack at Fenway Park in the near future. He was supposed to get a chance to hit some batting practice at the famous ballpark during a prospect day while with Brewster, but it was canceled because of rain when he was on-deck. "It's always been in the back of my mind. At least if I play one game in the big leagues with the Giants, I had hoped it was at Fenway. Now I get the opportunity to call it home," he said. "It's even cooler for me and even cooler for us as a family."

USA Today

41 minutes ago

• USA Today

2025 Tampa Bay Buccaneers projections: Will Bucky Irving surpass his 2024 total yards?

Bucky Irving made his presence felt immediately in 2024, finishing his rookie campaign with 1,514 scrimmage yards — 1,122 rushing and 392 receiving, which was the most by any rookie and good for 10th in the NFL overall. Now, entering Year 2 in Tampa Bay's offense, Irving has a clear path to build on that breakout season. And all signs point to a bigger role and even bigger production. Irving thrived in 2024 under then–passing game coordinator Josh Grizzard, who's now been promoted to offensive coordinator. That continuity matters. The Buccaneers aren't changing the system that allowed Irving to average 5.4 yards per carry and catch 47 passes out of the backfield. With Rachaad White still in the mix, Tampa is expected to run more two-back sets, which is a perfect scenario for a player like Irving, whose ability to create in space and contribute as a receiver makes him a matchup nightmare. His late-season surge saw him take over primary duties, logging 60–70% of the snaps down the stretch. Bucky Irving is poised for a breakout season Irving showed no signs of hitting a rookie wall. He had three 100+ yard games in the final six weeks and won NFC Offensive Player of the Week once. His balance, acceleration, and pass-catching make him more than a complementary option — he's a featured weapon. Tampa's scheme should open up even more for him in 2025, with rookie receivers Emeka Egbuka and Tez Johnson adding deep speed to stretch defenses and leave more room underneath for Irving to operate. As well as the return of Godwin Jr's underrated blocking to help open up holes down the field. If Irving's usage climbs slightly, even to 8–12 more touches over the full year, he's positioned to deliver a jump in production. Rushing yards: 1,200Receiving yards: 450Total scrimmage yards: 1,650

Yahoo

an hour ago

• Yahoo

Ravens Running Backs Named NFL's Best

Ravens Running Backs Named NFL's Best originally appeared on Athlon Sports. In 2024, the Baltimore Ravens led the NFL in rushing yards, tallying 3,189 yards on the ground. The majority of that running came from two sources: running back Derrick Henry and quarterback Lamar Jackson. Advertisement Henry ran for 1,921 yards and 16 touchdowns, while Jackson picked up 915 yards and four touchdowns on the ground himself. The dominant rushing duo is running it back in 2025, and plan on continuing to frighten opposing defenses. Henry headlines what PFF's Dalton Wasserman deemed the top running back room in the NFL. "The Ravens reign supreme with the NFL's highest-graded running back from last season, Derrick Henry, and a talented unit behind him." Wasserman wrote. "Henry led the position with a 93.5 PFF rushing grade as well as 89 missed tackles forced and 6.0 yards per carry. At this point, his eventual decline isn't believable until we see it." Henry isn't the only talented back in the room, however. Justice Hill was one of the NFL's most effective third-down backs last season, picking up 14 first downs on 47 carries, while also picking up 17 first downs in the receiving game. Advertisement Baltimore also has Keaton Mitchell in their back pocket, who didn't see much playing time in 2024, but in his rookie campaign in 2023 averaged 8.4 yards per carry. Rasheen Ali rounds out the room, he took just 10 carries in his rookie campaign last season, but flashed some special teams ability, averaging 26.8 yards per return on kicks. "Alongside Henry is one of the NFL's best third-down backs, Justice Hill." Wasserman added. "Hill's 89.0 PFF receiving grade in 2024 ranked fourth among running backs last season. He did not drop any of his 52 targets. Baltimore also has Keaton Mitchell, who earned an elite 92.5 PFF rushing grade in limited work in 2023, and Rasheen Ali, who added special-teams value late last season." Boasting the NFL's best running back room with one of its best scrambling quarterbacks is a recipe for success. The Ravens had the third-highest scoring offense in 2024, and led the NFL in total yards produced, tallying 7,224 yards over their 17 game season. Related: Ravens WRs Poised To 'Flip That Narrative' After Major Signings Related: Bills vs. Lamar's Ravens All About MVP 'Vengeance' This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 20, 2025, where it first appeared.