Bengals Beat: Zac Taylor ‘Ready For (Rookies) To Be Full Speed’, Shemar Stewart Not Concerned About Not Participating in Rookie Minicamp Drills

CINCINNATI — Shemar Stewart isn’t worried about not signing in his first professional contract. The first round defensive edge out of Texas A&M jut stood and watched other rookies take instruction from new defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery Friday during Bengals rookie minicamp on the turf inside Paycor Stadium.

He wasn’t alone. Second round pick Demetrius Knight Jr. is also waiting to sign his deal while the other four draft picks signed their deals on Thursday and were present Friday for the orientation inside Paycor. Knight stood and watched from the end zone as other linebackers and defensive players went through individual drills and technique instruction from new coach Mike Hodges.

“They’re just working through their contracts right now,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said. “They’re about the right stuff. We’ll get them in with our vets and see how quickly they can adjust.”

Rookies join Bengals veterans Monday, as the full complement of players continue Phase 2 of their offseason program this week.

“I’m ready for them to be full speed Monday,” said Taylor.

Other takeaways from Friday:

Shaquan Loyal was not in attendance after not signing with the Bengals as one of the team’s undrafted rookie free agents. It had been widely reported following the draft that the safety out of Rutgers had agreed to come to Cincinnati as a UDFA but that had not materialized as of Friday so he was not one of the 13 free agents that were included in the group inside Paycor.

On Monday, Loyal was indeed signed and brought into the building and will be part of the Phase 2 of offseason workouts. To make room, the Bengals released defensive back Micah Abraham.

The Bengals signed defensive tackle Dante Barnett, a 6-foot-1, 275-pound defensive tackle from Dickinson College and Birmingham, England as an International Pathway Player. This allows the Bengals to keep 91 players on their offseason roster. If they waive him before the 53-man cutdown and he clears waivers, they can add him back to the practice squad and then expand their practice squad from 16 to 17 players.

Monday’s move of signing Loyal and releasing Abraham puts the Bengals at 91 players in the offseason, which includes the exempt Barnett. The Bengals start the week with 46 players on offense, 40 on defense, four specialists and Barnett.

Zac Taylor said BJ Hill’s left foot will be in a walking boot for the next “couple of weeks” of offseason workouts.

There’s no update on Trey Hendrickson contract extension talks with the team.

Here are the 13 undrafted free agents:

DT Dante Barnett (IPP); 6-1, 275; Dickinson College; Birmingham (England)

HB Quali Conley; 5-10, 211; Arizona; Fresno, Calif.

DT Howard Cross III; 6-1, 285; Notre Dame; Paramus, N.J.

OT Caleb Etienne; 6-7, 329; Brigham Young; New Orleans, La.

DT Eric Gregory; 6-3, 319; Arkansas; Memphis, Tenn.

CB Bralyn Lux; 5-10, 180; Texas Tech; San Jose, Calif.

WR Jamoi Mayes; 5-10, 206; Cincinnati; Griffin, Ga.

C Seth McLaughlin; 6-4, 304; Ohio State; Buford, Ga.

WR Jordan Moore; 6-0, 191; Duke; Sykesville, Md.

WR Rashod Owens; 6-2, 218; Oklahoma State; San Antonio, Texas

TE Kole Taylor; 6-7, 250; West Virginia; Grand Junction, Colo.

QB Payton Thorne; 6-2, 207; Auburn; Naperville, Ill.

LS William Wagner; 6-2, 240; Michigan; Alpharetta, Ga.