Shemar Stewart could still try to go back to school

NBC Sports

5 days ago

Last month, we outlined the options available to unsigned Bengals edge rusher Shemar Stewart. One of those options has come into focus this week.
Via Billy Heyen of TheSportingNews.com, Bud Elliott of CBS Sports recently reported that Stewart has been 'fully involved in workouts' at Texas A&M. Elliott's source said Stewart 'could try to come back and play again this season and go into the draft again next year.'
The first part of what Elliott said is generally accurate. Stewart has been working out at Texas A&M. (He's not 'practicing' with the team, we're told. Then again, fall practice has yet to begin.) Part of the second part isn't accurate; if Stewart returns to school for 2025, the Bengals would continue to hold his rights through the first draft after Stewart's eligibility expires.
Yes, NCAA rules would prevent a return, now that Stewart has been drafted. But many NCAA rules have failed under the weight of the federal antitrust laws. Why shouldn't a player who has never taken an NFL paycheck or signed an NFL contract be prevented from going back to school?
It could be that a single letter from NCAA nemesis Jeffrey Kessler will cause the NCAA to look for the nearest bed under which to hide.
If Stewart is going to do it, he needs to get started ASAFP. College football season is coming around quickly. And, as best we can tell, however, Stewart would be very interested in exploring any financial offer from A&M (or elsewhere, since the transfer portal is unenforceable, too).
(Translation — any school out there that wants to explore adding Stewart for 2025 should perhaps begin to kick the tires.)
While the relevant language of the Collective Bargaining Agreement isn't entirely clear on this point, it seems reasonable that the Bengals would hold his rights as the 17th overall pick in the draft. So if Stewart gets paid to play football this year and falls back to the Bengals in his same slot next year, he will have made plenty of money while still getting the money he would have gotten under his rookie deal in 2024.
The only drawback is that this approach would delay Stewart's eligibility for a second contract and/or free agency. But if he's paid good money for 2025 — and if he's able to apply some pressure to the honor-and-a-privilege sorting-hat system, there's a win lurking in the one-year delay to his pro career.
There's another benefit to pursuing this strategy. Once the Bengals catch wind of it, they might cave on their ill-advised position that Stewart will be the first Cincinnati player to be expected to accept more onerous language regarding the voiding of guarantees, with no corresponding concession in the negotiations.
Then again, we're talking about the Bengals. Who are as cheap as they are stubborn. If they hear Stewart may go back to school for a year, the knee-jerk response could be to call his bluff.