NFL Contract Disputes: Bengals' Extension Issues and Holdouts

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00:00You know who's not happy about football season starting?

00:03It's Trey Hendrickson.

00:04He wants more money, Mike.

00:05You know who else isn't happy?

00:06Shamar Stewart, who says,

00:08why am I sitting here like the only rookie unsigned

00:10that I can't get into camp on my first-round draft pick?

00:12What is the deal with the Cincinnati Bengals?

00:14But more importantly, Mike Blewett,

00:16your analysis here on will these guys be in camp anytime soon?

00:20First thing I would say, Super Bowl season,

00:22Super Bowl era, year number 60.

00:25Bengals with zero titles.

00:28They have a way of running the organization

00:30that does not really lend itself to winning at the higher levels.

00:35What I would say is that for bettors,

00:37if one or both of these guys don't ring the bell in week one,

00:41we're betting Bengals overs for the season.

00:45So Shamar Stewart, look,

00:49I don't know any other way to analyze it,

00:53but to say that the Bengals are just operating differently

00:56than other teams.

00:58They want different language in this contract

01:00that is outside the bounds of what other teams are willing to do

01:05for their players.

01:05So that's one.

01:06The Hendrickson thing,

01:08they've at least been cordial and said positive things about it,

01:12but he called their offer atrociously low,

01:14so he's not in camp.

01:16And for a while there,

01:18because TJ Watt hadn't been signed,

01:20and Parsons is obviously not signed long-term,

01:22and Hendrickson as well,

01:23there was,

01:24I think,

01:25a little game of chicken between the teams

01:28as to who's going to sign their guy first.

01:30I'm not surprised it was the Steelers that did it,

01:33and I think that sort of set the market

01:35for what Hendrickson and Parsons could ultimately get.

01:39But I don't really trust the Bengals

01:41to do the right thing by Hendrickson,

01:43despite the fact that he's,

01:44I think,

01:45a little bit younger than Watt.

01:47It's got to be at least in that range

01:49based on recent production,

01:51but maybe the Bengals see it a different way.

01:53It's what's going to happen with them

01:55when they are so top-heavy on offense

01:58with Burrow, Higgins, and Chase extensions.

02:01So do they have the room

02:03to sign a big-time defensive player

02:05and then fill in all the pieces?

02:06I think it'll be tough

02:07for them to remain competitive long-term.

02:11Yeah, I mean, and let's face it,

02:13I know Washington has seen

02:15a lot of people get behind them here

02:18after what they did last year, Mike,

02:20and there's no reason not to think

02:22that they can't still improve,

02:25but without McLaurin,

02:26like, they need him, do they not,

02:29if they're going to take that next step?

02:31I think he's one of the more surprising holdouts

02:33in recent years to me

02:34for a variety of reasons.

02:36One, the strategy of holding out now

02:39in the NFL can be really damaging to the player.

02:42You're losing $50,000 a day.

02:44That cannot be eased.

02:46People say, well, they'll make it up to him

02:47in the contract.

02:48It's still a lost money.

02:50It's not like the team is keeping it.

02:51It's just going to NFL charities.

02:53So there is, it's difficult for me

02:56to understand the strategy.

02:57I would prefer, you know,

02:59I'm not an agent, obviously,

03:01but I think the strategy of holding in

03:03can be far more effective.

03:04We've seen it with Brandon Ayuk

03:05and other players in recent years,

03:07and there's obviously a few right now.

03:09I think it's one of the more surprising holdouts

03:12because of the level of leader that he is.

03:15McLaurin is really this team leader,

03:18along with Jaden Daniels,

03:20who's really only in year two.

03:22So I'm surprised by it.

03:24I'm surprised they haven't gotten it done.

03:27Maybe Terry McLaurin isn't on the level

03:30of Jamar Chase, whom I just mentioned,

03:32but he is a really top level wide receiver

03:35and important to their offense.

03:37I don't think that they can reach

03:39the same level of success, Joe,

03:41as you stated,

03:42without having Terry McLaurin on the field.

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