Bengals news: Shemar Stewart 'thought it was over' after training camp injury appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Cincinnati Bengals are looking to get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2022 this season, and having a healthy Joe Burrow will help them go a long way toward accomplishing that goal. While having Burrow throwing to Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins would nearly guarantee an elite offense for the Bengals, but the floor of this Cincinnati team will likely be determined by its defense.
The Bengals made a move to address that weakness this offseason when they traded the No. 10 overall pick to the New York Giants for star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence. Lawrence will be complemented on the edge by Shemar Stewart, a 2025 first-round pick who is looking for a breakout year in his second season.
It looked for a minute like Stewart’s second season might be over before it even got underway, as he suffered a scary-looking knee injury during training camp and was carted off. As bit turns out, Stewart only hyperextended his knee and won’t miss much time in the regular season, but he feared the worst initially.
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“I tried to bend the corner. My foot got caught in the ground kinda. It looked kinda nasty, as we all seen,” Stewart said, via Jay Morrison of Sports Illustrated. “In that moment, I felt a little tiny pop. I thought it was over. But thank God he was on my side and it wasn’t that serious. It sucks that people have their years gone just like that. I thank God that’s not my case. I’m not trying to waste opportunity because he’s definitely looking out for me.”
Stewart came out of Texas A&M without a lot of college production, but his incredible athleticism and size made him a surefire first-round pick in the 2025 draft. As a rookie, he played in eight games and recorded just one sack and two tackles for loss, so he will be looking to improve on those numbers during his second year.
If he does that and establishes himself as a strong No. 1 edge rusher, expect this Bengals defense to take a big leap.
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