CINCINNATI -- Contract negotiations between NFL teams and rookies are generally pretty mundane.
The money is slotted according to the terms set in the collective bargaining agreement between teams and the NFL Players Association. As soon as the order is set for the draft, every future dollar can be projected for every rookie, from the first pick to Mr. Irrelevant.
But what's happening between the Cincinnati Bengals and defensive end Shemar Stewart is anything but mundane. Stewart did not participate in offseason workouts because of a disagreement over his rookie contract. He had been attending sessions without participating until Thursday when he abruptly left camp, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.