Bengals receive impactful Shemar Stewart update news on the heels of Trey Hendrickson’s season-ending surgery
Good news for Shemar Stewart and the Cincinnati Bengals’ defense.
Trey Hendrickson may be out for the season after undergoing core muscle surgery, but Shemar Stewart is one step closer to coming back.
Stewart, the Cincinnati Bengals’ first-round pick from the 2025 NFL Draft, has officially been cleared to practice as the Bengals now begin preparations for their Week 15 game against the Baltimore Ravens.
Stewart was placed on the Reserve/Injured list in Week 11 and has missed the last four games. He’s still on I.R. as of this posting, but that could change this weekend.
Bengals DE Shemar Stewart has a chance to play vs. Ravens
It’s never a given for a player to immediately take the field the week he’s cleared to practice. Linebacker Shaka Heyward experienced that last week when he participated in all three practices but was not activated off I.R. As for Stewart, head coach Zac Taylor confirmed to reporters the No. 17 pick from April’s draft could play on Sunday against Baltimore, though it’s not a guarantee as of Wednesday.
“It’s different because he’s a rookie and he’s missing time,” Taylor said. “So we’ll just get him back. [I] saw him on the rehab field last week, looks like he’s making really good progress. Now it’s just get him out there and see what it looks like today.”
Stewart has only played in five games this year as a rookie and last took the field in Week 9 against the Chicago Bears. He’s logged six total tackles and a quarterback hit on 177 snaps thus far.
A knee injury cost Stewart four games over the last month, but an ankle injury sidelined him another four contests earlier in the season. Injuries have unfortunately plagued his first season in Cincinnati after an offseason spent fighting the club for different language in his rookie contract.
Taylor isn’t discouraged about Stewart continuing to make progress over these final four weeks, if he can play in all four of them.
“We’ve got high expectations for him,” Taylor said. “And he’s worked really hard to meet those and done everything he can do, and unfortunately, the setback with the injury, there’s nothing he can control. So I don’t think there’s a pressure to see anything from him in the next four weeks. We’ll just see how he feels as practice goes this week. If he’s able to get into a game this week, whatever it is, just keep progressing and keep improving.”
Stewart’s return would give the Bengals six healthy defensive ends to work with on the active roster. The group was bolstered by Isaiah Foskey being signed off the practice squad a week after Stewart went to I.R. Foskey may be sent back down to the practice squad once Stewart is fully active.
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