The Cincinnati Bengals have invited trade speculation about Shemar Stewart.
“Bengals DE Shemar Stewart is a healthy scratch for today’s game against the Ravens,” ESPN’s Ben Baby reported on X on October 25. “The 2025 first-round pick is still working his way back after missing all of training camp with a hyperextended knee.”
Additionally, the Bengals announced that Connor Lew, Landon Robinson, Myles Hinton, and Russ Yeast are all also inactive.
Still, the news on Stewart is most jarring ahead of facing the Baltimore Ravens.
Underdog’s Arye Pulli posted, “Bengals EDGE Shemar Stewart is a healthy inactive today,” noting, “Trade rumors surfaced this week.”
The real reason could be much simpler than that, though, particularly with Stewart’s health.
Bengals Not Expected to Trade Shemar Stewart
Baby responded to speculation that the Bengals’ decision was related to a possible trade, saying, “Trading Stewart is incredibly far-fetched at the moment.”
“Looks like a numbers game on a deep D-Line,” Fox19 contributor Charlie Goldsmith posted on X. “He has been 10th on the depth chart on the defensive line (behind Cashius Howell, Ced Johnson, Kris Jenkins and others) all season, and this week all 10 are healthy and the Bengals needed more depth at other positions/special teams (Endries, Young, Newton).”
Stewart has appeared in three games this season, including in Week 5 against the Miami Dolphins before the Bengals’ bye.
“Shemar Stewart being inactive for a must-win game isn’t ideal, a year after the #Bengals drafted him in the first round,” the Cincinnati Enquirer’s Kelsey Conway posted. “But Zac Taylor knows how important this game is, and if they don’t feel comfortable with Stewart on the field yet in a bigger role and can get production elsewhere, he has to do what is in the best interest for the Bengals right now.
“At some point Shemar will get his opportunities, he’ll have to make the most of them.”
Bengals Fuel Trade Speculation With Late Decision on Former First-Round Pick