Amarius Mims, whom the Bengals selected in 2024, only signed his contract in late July. If the rookie has not signed the contract, he'll sign a practice waiver. This waiver serves as a protection mechanism for the player in case something happens during practice.

The nuclear option would be for Stewart to sit out the entire season and re-enter the draft. While the NIL era will reduce the urgency of many incoming NFL players to get paid, it’s a lot of money to give up. Among other things, Stewart is missing out on a slotted signing bonus in excess of $10 million.

When the 49ers were on the clock with the 11th pick in the NFL, their selection seemed to come down to two big defensive ends -- Mykel Williams and Shemar Stewart.