Bengals pass rush has golden opportunity vs. Steelers amid Trey Hendrickson injury

Trey Hendrickson left the game versus the Green Bay Packers with an injury and did not return. 

On Monday, Hendrickson did not practice. However, the Cincinnati Bengals got some much-needed good news with the return of rookie edge rusher Shemar Stewart as a full participant.

Nevertheless, the Bengals need players to perform well above expectations if they are to have a chance against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday Night Football.

Bengals’ pass rush already limited with Trey Hendrickson

What was initially thought to be a back injury turned out to be a hip problem.

No matter the injury, Hendrickson’s possible absence is bad news. 

Hendrickson has been the primary source of Cincinnati's pass rush this season. But we knew that would be the case. That is why we spent so much time arguing for his contract dispute to end this past offseason.

Through six games, Hendrickson has 15 tackles, three tackles for loss, eight QB hits, and four sacks.

But his presence has helped only so much. The Bengals rank 26th in pass rush win rate, according to ESPN. Without the star edge, rushers' contributions, expect the pass rush to be even worse. A lot worse.

Week 7 is a huge chance for other Bengals pass rushers to shine

Thursday Night will offer us a glimpse into what a possible 2026 season will look like without Hendrickson. Unfortunately, for the Bengals, they will have to count on underperforming edge rushers to step up.

We have seen enough from Myles Murphy, Joseph Ossai, and Cam Sample to understand who they are. Unfortunately, what they are is not good enough.

However, they have a golden opportunity (pun intended) to prove otherwise in Hendrickson's potential absence.

If one of them can make a midseason charge, the experts may stop making defensive end a priority in mock drafts and put the emphasis where it belongs, which is on the offensive line. But “if” is doing much heavy lifting in that thought.

Shemar Stewart may return at a critical moment

The team's announcement of Shemar Stewart's return as a full participant in practice came at perfect timing, as he is the player most fans want to see make the most significant step forward if Hendrickson misses time.

Mandy fans scrutinized the Bengals’ 2025 first-round selection because of his lack of production despite his elite physical gifts. Carl Lawson has entered the chat. The former Texas A&M Aggie was injured in the Week 2 contest versus the Jacksonville Jaguars and has not played since.

This season, in his two games, Stewart recorded a total of two tackles. After an off-season of being a first-round pick despite production questions, getting bad advice from his agent, a holdout, and an injury, that stat line is anything but encouraging.

Now, if Hendrickson can't play, Stewart must be the guy that Cincinnati's defense can count on to provide consistent pressure on Aaron Rodgers on Thursday night.

Stewart could have ample opportunities in front of a national audience to prove the naysayers wrong. 

Demetrius Knight Jr’s defensive end experiment

Another wrinkle to keep an eye on is Demetrius Knight Jr. playing the edge position.

The Bengals selected Knight in the second round of April's draft with the intention of him being an immediate starter at linebacker. And they have stuck with that plan, at least, for the most part.

In the previous two games, defensive coordinator Al Golden has used him as a defensive end as much as a linebacker. That could continue, or even increase, as Golden searches for answers to improve a pass rush that is weighed, measured, and left wanting.

Knight leads the team in tackles with 46. And while his one tackle for loss is not anything to write home about, he is only two behind team leaders Hendrickson and Ossai in that category. 

Practice squad call-up on the horizon?

Al Golden might also want to get practice squad player Isaiah Foskey involved in the game action.

Foskey played for Golden in his final year at Notre Dame. The third-year defensive end should be well-acquainted with aspects of the scheme and what his coordinator needs from him.

Head coach Zac Taylor mentioned several times last week that they will be evaluating every position in hopes of ending this losing streak. He even talked at some length about practice squad players and needing to count on them at specific points during the season. That moment could be now for Foskey.

We do not know the severity of Hendrickson’s injury. Therefore, we can surmise that it will not be anything long-lasting. As such, this could be Foskey’s best chance to contribute for the rest of the season, barring any unfortunate injuries. 

Thursday’s pass rush could shape season, Bengals draft plans

Whoever lines up against the Steelers has a chance to affect the Pittsburgh offense. The Steelers rank 31st in pass block win rate according to ESPN.

We will give you one guess as to which team has the worst pass block win rate in the NFL.

If the Bengals' defense can force the Steelers into obvious passing situations, they might have their best opportunity to get to an opposing quarterback all season. 

The players stepping up in Hendrickson's absence must take advantage of the situation. If Cincinnati's edge rushers are rendered useless, the team's chances of winning Thursday night's game take a hit.

What will also take a hit is Joe Burrow in 2026. A potential lack of pass rush against the 31st-ranked team could mean fewer resources for the struggling Bengals’ offensive line in an effort to improve a poor pass rush next season, as the experts have already begun giving Cincinnati edge rushers in their mock drafts.

If Hendrickson doesn't play, the moment is now for someone to show up and show out in his stead.

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