CINCINNATI -- Minutes after the Cincinnati Bengals drafted defensive end Shemar Stewart, coach Zac Taylor wanted to set the narrative straight.
Or at least try to. Stewart, the team's first-round pick this year, represents the future of Cincinnati's pass rush, one that currently is spearheaded by All-Pro edge rusher Trey Hendrickson, who is in the midst of a contract dispute.
"This is not a story about anybody else," Taylor said last Thursday night when speaking about Stewart, this year's 17th overall pick.
But all compelling narratives have intriguing characters. That leaves a spot for Hendrickson -- not just within the tapestry of Cincinnati's defensive line but also his future with the team. He still has a year remaining on his deal, but the Bengals could rightly reward one of the best defenders in franchise history with the long-term contract and pay bump he's looking for.
By drafting Stewart, Hendrickson's value not only includes his on-field production but the added benefit of showing Stewart how to be a productive NFL edge rusher and giving the Bengals a key defensive piece for upcoming years.
"I'm going to come in there and work my tail off," Stewart told local reporters immediately after he was drafted. "Me and Trey Hendrickson -- he's going to become my best buddy because I'm going to be under his tail."
There are worse career development strategies than training under Hendrickson, who led the NFL in sacks last season (17.5) and has earned long overdue recognition as one of the NFL's foremost quarterback nuisances.
This offseason in Cincinnati, one of the common themes has been how little Bengals defensive linemen outside of Hendrickson troubled opposing passers. After Hendrickson, Joseph Ossai had the team's next-highest sack total with five.
That leads the conversation to Stewart, this year's first-round pick. In three seasons at Texas A&M, he amassed just 4.5 sacks. That low total raised eyebrows when Cincinnati made the pick and prompted questions about whether Stewart was the solution the Bengals needed.
The 21-year-old from Miami said he can miss fewer tackles by not leaving his feet, running through contact and trusting in his speed. As for attacking off the line of scrimmage, Hendrickson provided Stewart with a very good blueprint to follow. Like Hendrickson, Stewart's pass-rush moves are built off his power.
"You had the leading sack rusher this year, and all he did was power," Stewart said on draft night. "It translates pretty seamlessly as long as I get the technique down."
That points to the added value that comes with keeping Hendrickson satisfied with a long-term contract to remain with the Bengals. Bengals defensive tackle McKinnley Jackson, a third-round pick last year and a former college teammate with Stewart, knows first-hand what it's like to learn by watching Hendrickson.
"I've seen him come in here every day, put the work in, be productive and just hold guys to a high standard," Jackson said on Monday. "Trey's a tough nail. He's going to hold you accountable. And I love it. I love the juice he brings to this team."
All of those things are well known by everyone inside Paycor Stadium. What Jackson said next is common knowledge, too.
"I don't know how this contract stuff will work out," Jackson said.
The fact that no trade has been made yet is notable. With teams through free agency and now the draft, clubs looking to address any major edge rusher needs have seemingly done so. That not only cools off the trade market but also a potential market for teams looking to bring in an edge rusher who will turn 31 in December.
Bengals executive Duke Tobin said at his pre-draft news conference on April 21 that the situation is more or less unchanged.
"He has been incredibly productive, and I'm glad he's here," the team's director of player personnel said. "I don't have any new information on what the future holds for him. He's a guy that I have a ton of respect for and regard for and a ton of value for."
The Bengals could find a way to bump Hendrickson's $15.8 million base salary for 2025 by releasing veterans such as linebacker Germaine Pratt. Pratt is making $5.3 million in base pay this season. However, the veteran could be replaced by Demetrius Knight Jr., Cincinnati's second-round draft pick. A similar situation could play out at left guard between Cordell Volson ($3.7 million in base salary) and third-round pick Dylan Fairchild.
What happens with Hendrickson this offseason is the final big chapter of Cincinnati's offseason that remains unwritten.