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Cincinnati Bengals second-year defender Shemar Stewart sounds like a player ready for a breakout.
One year ago at this time, Stewart was in an ugly, public standoff with the Bengals about some details surrounding his rookie contract.
This year? He’s at OTAs with teammates and has a year of learning the system under his belt, which he says is a key factor in how he feels right now.
"Knowing my job and knowing what to do eliminates 75% of my problems," Stewart said according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. "As of right now, the playbook is a who-o-o-le lot easier. I don't know why. I've been hearing the same terms for a year. It's just been a lot easier from year one to year two. The playbook kind of had my brain cloudy, and I came back and the playbook hasn't really been that crazy."
In addition to a late start while trying to adapt to the pros, Stewart battled multiple nagging injuries that derailed his ability to get on the field consistently.
Given all of the above, there’s reason to believe the Bengals can still be proven right on the Stewart gamble, which dramatically valued upside over college production.
One other big factor? The arrival of Dexter Lawrence, whose presence in the middle should open up the edges for guys like Stewart, which certainly played a role in that trade, too.
This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Bengals' Shemar Stewart reveals why he's ready for leap
Continue reading...
One year ago at this time, Stewart was in an ugly, public standoff with the Bengals about some details surrounding his rookie contract.
This year? He’s at OTAs with teammates and has a year of learning the system under his belt, which he says is a key factor in how he feels right now.
"Knowing my job and knowing what to do eliminates 75% of my problems," Stewart said according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. "As of right now, the playbook is a who-o-o-le lot easier. I don't know why. I've been hearing the same terms for a year. It's just been a lot easier from year one to year two. The playbook kind of had my brain cloudy, and I came back and the playbook hasn't really been that crazy."
In addition to a late start while trying to adapt to the pros, Stewart battled multiple nagging injuries that derailed his ability to get on the field consistently.
Given all of the above, there’s reason to believe the Bengals can still be proven right on the Stewart gamble, which dramatically valued upside over college production.
One other big factor? The arrival of Dexter Lawrence, whose presence in the middle should open up the edges for guys like Stewart, which certainly played a role in that trade, too.
This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Bengals' Shemar Stewart reveals why he's ready for leap
Continue reading...
