The Cincinnati Bengals used almost every available resource to improve their defense this offseason, and it was needed. Coming off the worst performance in franchise history, Duke Tobin and the rest of the front office knew that it would take a major investment to fix that side of the ball. And that’s why we saw them be aggressive with moves like Dexter Lawrence (trade) and Boye Mafe in free agency.
But in order for the defense to reach a respectable level, the Bengals are going to need several young players to improve. It’s really as simple as players like Demetrius Knight Jr. just being a better football player in Year 2.
However, there is one player on defense for the Bengals who the team desperately needs to step up. And that’s none other than Shemar Stewart.
Bengals need Shemar Stewart to take big step forward in Year 2
In a recent article by Pro Football Focus, Bradley Locker named 10 players who are under the most pressure to perform in the 2026 season. The list included players like Matthew Golden, Cam Ward, and Travis Hunter, all former first-round picks who disappointed in their rookie season.
But another name on the list that was included was Stewart, who essentially had a lost rookie season due to a holdout and several lower-body injuries. Here is a snippet of what the site had to say about the former star from Texas A&M:
“Stewart playing only 280 snaps due to knee and ankle injuries complicated the picture, but even when healthy, he underwhelmed mightily. His 41.2 overall PFF grade was the worst among 120 edge rushers to appear on 250 or more snaps, powered by a dismal 29.3 PFF run-defense grade. Even as a pass-rusher, Stewart placed in the 12th percentile in PFF pass-rush grade and in the 16th percentile for pass-rush win rate.”
The good news for the Bengals is that they’ve insulated themselves somewhat if Stewart doesn’t improve in Year 2. Boye Mafe and Myles Murphy are expected to be Week 1 starters, and rookie Cashius Howell can bring some juice off the edge. And the hope is that Dexter Lawrence will be able to provide some pass rush inside to take the pressure off the EDGE rushers.
However, the Bengals spent a first-round pick on Stewart because he has rare traits and he has the highest ceiling of any of the defensive linemen on the roster. And if the defense really wants to take a big step forward, they will need Stewart to become an impact pass rusher sooner rather than later.
All eyes will be on Stewart throughout training camp and the preseason as fans want to see any signs of improvement. If it happens, there is no telling just how much this defense might be able to improve in 2026. But if he struggles and is unable to become a consistent part of their rotation, it’s going to be yet another first-round miss on defense that the Bengals will have to find ways to overcome.
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