Tag: minicamp

Bengals defensive end Shemar Stewart looks on during the Bengals Rookie Mini Camp on Friday, May 9, 2025 at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati.

Bengals’ first-round pick Shemar Stewart exits minicamp

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Bengals unsigned first-round draft pick Shemar Stewart has left mandatory minicamp in Cincinnati, multiple media outlets reported Thursday.

Per the Cincinnati Enquirer, Stewart left camp so as not to be a distraction to the other players.

Stewart, 21, had been attending voluntary workouts and team meetings but steered clear of participating in on-field activities. The Bengals selected the Texas A&M defensive end with the 17th overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Stewart is not planning to sign with the Bengals until they adjust the language in their contract offer to match the outline of the contracts signed by the team’s previous two first-round selections (Myles Murphy and Amarius Mims).

“I’ve been doing this for most of my whole life, and then all of a sudden it’s gone over something very simple to fix,” Stewart told reporters on Tuesday. “It’s kind of disappointing.”

Bengals coach Zac Taylor talked to the media about Stewart after practice Thursday.

“For all the rookies, you’d like them to be on the field but certainly there’s things that happen over the course of an NFL career and this is one of them right now,” Taylor said of Stewart missing out on preparation time. “So he’s been in the meetings. He’s been positive in that way. He’s been learning. He’s been a good learner, and we look forward to getting him back on the field quickly.”

Taylor said he didn’t know how the contract process would progress and wouldn’t guess whether Stewart would be with the team when camp opens next month.

“I’m not going to make any predictions,” he said.

–Field Level Media

Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons (11) celebrates his sack against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on Set. 24, 2023.

Big deal? Cowboys pass rusher Micah Parsons at minicamp

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Kumbaya continues to be the public framing of the contract push for Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons, who is attending minicamp at the team’s Frisco, Texas, headquarters to keep his promise to first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer.

Parsons, 26, has 52.5 sacks in four seasons and is reportedly seeking a record-setting $200 million contract before he takes the field for another game.

But after a late-night phone call and homage to a social media trend of men dialing friends to surprise them with a “goodnight” message, Parsons and Schottenheimer appear to be on the same page.

“I know this is weird for everybody, but look, you’re handling everything the right way bro,” Schottenheimer told Parsons on the call recorded by the former Penn State linebacker. “This thing is going to get worked out.”

Parsons is in line to earn approximately $24 million in 2025 on the fifth year option from his original rookie deal.

“We’re building something special and you’re going to be a huge part of it,” Schottenheimer said to Parsons in the TikTok call.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said the two sides are in agreement on “most of the issues” in negotiations.

Last summer, the Cowboys were beset with contract matters entering training camp, and Jones said the franchise would like to avoid a repeat. Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb missed training camp entirely before he signed a four-year, $136 million extension in August and entered a short window to upramp for the start of the regular season.

Dallas also made quarterback Dak Prescott the highest-paid player in NFL history with a four-year, $240 million deal and $80 million signing bonus last summer.

Parsons worked out on his own last summer with permission from previous coach Mike McCarthy. But at the end of last season, he discussed the importance of attending workouts, minicamps and training camp.

“I’ve got to be around the guys,” he said. “There’s going to be rookies, there’s going to be free agents — guys that come here — you don’t know who’s going to be there, so there’s a chemistry part and people know what you can do, but people also got to see it from a leader aspect. So I still gotta be there for that part.”

Last season, Parsons dealt with an ankle injury but still recorded 12 sacks, 43 tackles and two forced fumbles in 13 games (all starts) last season.

A Pro Bowl selection in all four pro seasons to date and a three-time All-Pro, Parsons has totaled 256 tackles (63 for loss), 112 quarterback hits, 52.5 sacks, nine forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries in 63 games (all starts).

–Field Level Media

Cincinnati Bengals Trey Hendrickson makes an appearance at practice, Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at Kettering Health Practice Fields in Downtown Cincinnati.

Report: Bengals contact Trey Hendrickson, gain no traction toward deal

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NFL sacks leader Trey Hendrickson remains on the sideline with stalled contract talks with the Cincinnati Bengals pointing to a prolonged absence from the team.

The Athletic reported the Bengals reached out to Hendrickson on Monday but conversations were fruitless. The defensive end is expected to be absent from minicamp as he looks for a new deal or trade that would bring him the payday he desires.

Cincinnati did get rookie defensive end Shemar Stewart in the building in a relative sign of progress. But Stewart, a first-round pick, is unsigned and ESPN reported he won’t participate on the field this week without a contract.

With a base salary of $15.8 million, Hendrickson believes he’s underpaid relative to the market value of the top-paid players at his position. He has a salary cap hit of $18.6 million this season and led the league with 17.5 sacks in 2024. No player has more sacks combined over the past two seasons than Hendrickson (35).

Hendrickson, 30, hasn’t been with the team for a month — since he came to the facility on May 13 for a face-to-face meeting with head coach Zac Taylor. Taylor told Hendrickson at the time the Bengals would have no choice but to fine him if he didn’t come to mandatory minicamp and training camp in July.

“A little bit transpired between me and Zac,” Hendrickson said. “We’ve tried to keep it as least amount as personal as possible, but at some point, in this process, it becomes personal.”

Stewart, 21, is not planning to sign with the Bengals until they adjust the language in their contract offer to match the outline of the team’s previous two first-round selections, according to multiple reports.

–Field Level Media

Dec 15, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) during warmups against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Report: T.J. Watt skipping Steelers’ mandatory minicamp

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Pittsburgh Steelers star T.J. Watt is not attending this week’s mandatory minicamp amid contract negotiations, according to multiple reports.

The All-Pro outside linebacker, who is entering the final year of his current deal, was also a no-show for voluntary OTAs earlier this offseason.

Watt, 30, would be subject to more than $104,000 in fines if he misses all three days of the minicamp. The NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement permits daily fines if players are absent from mandatory offseason activities and practices without team approval.

The market for elite pass rushers has accelerated since 2021, when Watt signed a five-year, $112 million contract with $80 million guaranteed.

In March, Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett signed a four-year, $160 million deal with $123.5 million guaranteed. It was the richest deal in NFL history for a non-quarterback.

Watt was selected to the Pro Bowl each of the past seven years, and he made first-time All-Pro in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2023. He was the NFL’s 2021 Defensive Player of the Year after tallying a career-high 22.5 sacks.

In 2024, Watt led the NFL with six forced fumbles while logging 11.5 sacks, 61 tackles, four passes defended and two fumble recoveries in 17 games.

Over his eight-year NFL career, all with the Steelers, Watt has 108 sacks, 462 tackles, 33 forced fumbles, 12 fumble recoveries, 49 passes defensed and seven interceptions.

–Field Level Media

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) throws his 500th career touchdown pass in the second quarter of the game against the Miami Dolphins on Jan. 5, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J.

Aaron Rodgers arrives in Pittsburgh, expected to sign deal

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Quarterback Aaron Rodgers showed up at the Pittsburgh Steelers’ training facilities on Saturday.

Multiple journalists on site captured photos of his arrival at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that signing his contract with the Steelers was a primary reason for the visit.

The Steelers announced Friday they had agreed to a one-year deal with the 41-year-old veteran, though no terms were released. The team statement also said the deal was pending a physical.

Rodgers, a four-time NFL Most Valuable Player and winner of Super Bowl XLV, spent his first 18 seasons with the Green Bay Packers, followed by two with the New York Jets.

In that Super Bowl, while playing for Green Bay, he was named game MVP as the Packers defeated the Steelers.

Rodgers is expected to participate in the Steelers’ mandatory minicamp next week. He presumably will replace the departed tandem of 2024 starters — Russell Wilson and Justin Fields — with Mason Rudolph serving as his backup.

Rodgers has a career record of 153-87-1. He has completed 65.1 percent of his pass attempts for 62,952 yards. He has 503 career touchdowns against 116 interceptions in 248 games.

–Field Level Media

Jun 14, 2023; Thousand Oaks, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) and coach Sean McVay during minicamp at Cal Lutheran University. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

In NFL first, Rams to hold minicamp in Maui

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The Los Angeles Rams, in partnership with the Hawaii Tourism Authority, announced Wednesday that they will hold their June minicamp in Maui, a first for any NFL team.

The Rams’ “Mauicamp,” as it’s being billed, will be held June 16-19 at War Memorial Stadium in Wailuku.

The Rams made the announcement at their practice facility alongside Hawaii Gov. Josh Green.

“We are thrilled to return to Hawaii and for the first time in the NFL bring Minicamp to Maui,” Rams president Kevin Demoff said. “Los Angeles and Hawaii share a special relationship and we are grateful to HTA for teaming with us for this historic partnership.”

The Rams played a preseason game in Maui in August 2019 against the Dallas Cowboys, the first time that had happened since 1976.

The Rams will hold on-field sessions on June 17 and 18, with the 17th being invite-only through HTA. The 18th will be free and open to the public, though a ticket is required. Maui County residents have access to an exclusive presale beginning Friday.

“Rams players will feel the warm aloha and hospitality of our islands once again, and in turn, the team will uplift members of the community that have endured so much since the 2023 Maui wildfires,” Green said.

Also part of Mauicamp, the Rams will hold a series of events as well, including a girls flag football and boys football clinic for 400 local student-athletes and a PLAY 60 Field Day for local children.

–Field Level Media

Feb 27, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell talks to the media at the 2024 NFL Combine at Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Coach Dan Campbell to miss Lions’ rookie minicamp

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The Detroit Lions will hold rookie minicamp this weekend without coach Dan Campbell, who is away from the team for unspecified personal reasons.

Campbell is expected to return to the team later this month, the Detroit Free Press reported Friday. The next scheduled event is May 21-23 with organized team activity practices.

The team’s draft picks, undrafted free agents and tryout players are among those at the three-day camp in Allen Park, Mich.

The Lions had six picks in last month’s NFL draft, headlined by a pair of cornerbacks — first-round selection Terrion Arnold (Alabama) and second-rounder Ennis Rakestraw Jr. (Missouri).

The team also has brought in 15 undrafted free agents.

The Lions finished the 2023 season with a 12-5 record and won the NFC North. Detroit reached the conference title game but lost, 34-31, to the San Francisco 49ers.

–Field Level Media

May 23, 2023; Florham Park, NJ, USA; New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) and quarterback Zach Wilson (2) warm up during OTA s at Atlantic Health Jets Training Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-USA TODAY Sports

Jets cancel next week’s minicamp

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The New York Jets canceled their mandatory minicamp scheduled for next week, citing their earlier-than-usual report time for training camp.

The Jets will meet the Cleveland Browns in the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio, on Aug. 3. With that in mind, New York will have an early start to training camp so they will wrap up their offseason program with this week’s organized team activities.

The Jets’ minicamp had been scheduled for June 13-15.

“With the Hall of Fame Game, we’re reporting a week earlier than everybody else,” Jets coach Robert Saleh said Tuesday. “Guys need to get away. They’ve put in a really good offseason. … You need a week off and you gotta rev back up to get ready for the season.”

–Field Level Media

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) runs for a touchdown during their 20-13 victory over the Tennessee Titans in the AFC Wild Card game at Nissan Stadium in Nashville Jan. 10, 2021. Titans Ravens 111

QB Lamar Jackson reports to Ravens minicamp

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Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson reported Monday and will take part in the team’s mandatory minicamp this week.

Jackson, 25, made waves when he elected to skip the team’s voluntary organized team activities last month, fueling speculation that he intends to leave the Ravens. Jackson is entering the final year of his rookie contract and has not yet engaged the team in contract talks. Jackson represents himself.

Jackson is set to play the 2022 season on his fifth-year option worth $23.016 million. That annual average salary is 15th in the NFL among quarterbacks, according to Spotrac. Jimmy Garoppolo is expected to be traded by the 49ers but has a 2022 salary of more than $25 million.

Ravens coach John Harbaugh and general manager Eric DeCosta said following the NFL draft that the team is prepared to negotiate with Jackson but that contract talks were not a priority at the time. Jackson said his only focus is the Super Bowl.

Jackson had a combined 18 interceptions over his first three seasons before throwing 13 picks in 12 games in 2021. He had 16 touchdown passes last season, a steep decline from his 2019 MVP total of 36.

He had 767 rushing yards and two touchdowns last season after back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons.

–Field Level Media

Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield laughs as he watches his teammates warm up before a game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022, in Cleveland. Baker Pregame 2

Browns excuse Baker Mayfield from minicamp

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The Cleveland Browns on Wednesday excused quarterback Baker Mayfield from attending next week’s mandatory minicamp.

Per the Browns, it was a “mutual decision and best for both parties.”

The veteran quarterback will not be subject to fines for missing the mandatory session.

Cleveland has been attempting to find a trade partner for Mayfield since acquiring Deshaun Watson in March.

Mayfield, 27, is due a fully guaranteed salary of $18.86 million in 2022, the final season of his rookie contract.

The sticking point in trade talks reportedly has been how much of that salary the Browns are willing to cover.

Mayfield has not attended any of Cleveland’s voluntary workouts this offseason.

Mayfield is 29-30 as a starter since the Browns made him the No. 1 pick of the 2018 NFL Draft. He has completed 61.6 percent of his passes for 14,125 yards, 92 touchdowns and 56 interceptions.

–Field Level Media