Bengals receive their first injury scare of training camp to a player who needs to come back quickly
The Cincinnati Bengals suffered their first injury of training camp when second-year defensive end Shemar Stewart limped off the field during the team’s first 11-on-11 work of camp.
The Cincinnati Bengals suffered their first injury of training camp when second-year defensive end Shemar Stewart limped off the field during the team’s first 11-on-11 work of camp.
Stewart, Cincinnati’s first-round pick from the 2025 NFL Draft, was showing trainers his left leg after going down on just his second rep of team drills. He took off his jersey and was carted off the field.
Stewart’s departure on the cart is worth noting, though training camp cart rides can be misleading. The distance between the Bengals’ practice field and the stadium facilities where players are evaluated often makes a cart ride more of a precautionary measure than an indication of severity. Coach Zac Taylor will likely provide an update on Stewart’s status sometime in the coming days.
Shemar Stewart’ prior injury history
The apparent leg injury adds to what has already been a frustrating start to Stewart’s NFL career. He played in just eight games as a rookie and missed nine due to two separate injuries. An ankle injury in his second career game knocked him out of action, and he later spent five weeks on injured reserve with a knee injury. Stewart played only 280 total snaps and made four starts at defensive end during his first season.
Cincinnati needs Stewart healthy now more than ever. With Trey Hendrickson now in Baltimore, the Bengals’ defensive end depth has taken on a different look. Stewart projects to play a significantly larger role this season. He’s firmly one of the first defensive linemen off the bench behind starting edge defenders Myles Murphy and Boye Mafe.
Silver lining for Cincinnati’s depth pieces
Stewart’s early exit does open doors for fellow backups Cedric Johnson and this year’s second-round pick Cashius Howell. Both players will naturally absorb more reps behind the starting defensive line. Isaiah Foskey and Antwaun Powell-Ryland will fall into more opportunities as well.
There are always those who benefit from injuries, but the Bengals as a whole cannot afford to lose Stewart for an extended period. He missed more than half his rookie season and now has another injury to deal with on the first day of camp. The hope is that this amounts to nothing more than a minor scare, and Stewart is back on the field soon.
Taylor’s pending update will tell us a lot more about what the Bengals are dealing with regarding one of their more important young players.