Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Shemar Stewart suffered an apparent left leg injury and was carted off the field during the team’s first training camp practice on Wednesday, July 29, 2026.
Shemar Stewart Carted Off During Bengals Training Camp Practice
Video documentation captured by local media showed Stewart’s left leg buckling before he went down to the turf, according to sports.yahoo.com.
Trainers quickly rushed to examine the fallen lineman. Medical staff evaluated Stewart briefly on the practice field before calling for a cart to take him inside the facility. Medical personnel noted that Stewart was completely unable to put any weight on his left leg as he left the field. Following the practice session, he was spotted wearing a leg brace and using crutches.
Rookie Season Struggles and the Road to Recovery
The franchise selected Stewart in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft as the No. 17 overall pick.
Stewart missed the start of his inaugural training camp because his rookie contract remained unsigned. He subsequently missed rookie minicamp and all offseason workouts due to an unsigned practice waiver. That lost preparation left him behind schedule when he finally hit the field. Although he displayed athletic flashes during the opening two weeks of the season, a right ankle injury struck during the fourth quarter of a Week 2 victory against Jacksonville when a teammate rolled up on him.
He battled through various ailments across eight total appearances, logging five starts, one sack, two tackles for loss, and four quarterback hits during his rookie campaign. A subsequent knee injury in November landed him on the reserve/injured list, cutting his debut season short.
Defensive Line Depth and Offseason Additions in Cincinnati
Head coach Zac Taylor addressed the media before Wednesday’s session, emphasizing the organization’s commitment to the young lineman’s progression.
The team is looking for Stewart to solidify his role on the depth chart during this training camp, hoping he can get enough repetitions to put a challenging rookie season behind him.
Despite those high organizational expectations, the franchise invested heavily in the defensive end position during the offseason. The front office added free agent Boye Mafe and drafted second-round selection Cashius Howell. Meanwhile, Myles Murphy, the team’s first-round pick in the 2023 draft, stands as a projected starter. Deeper on the depth chart, Cedric Johnson and Isaiah Foskey are positioned right behind Stewart.
Beyond the edge rusher position, the Bengals also monitored other roster absences as camp opened. Defensive tackle BJ Hill and tight end Josh Kattus were sidelined with undisclosed injuries, though the remainder of the roster participated in full uniform.
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