The Cincinnati Bengals made former first-round pick Shemar Stewart a healthy inactive in Week 7. They have been phasing him out of their defense all season, which has brought speculation that he is on the trade block. However, Ben Baby of ESPN made it clear that the team did not make him inactive to protect him from a trade, and the idea of trading him does not seem likely right now.
“Trading Stewart is incredibly far-fetched at the moment,” tweeted the Bengals reporter after the team made Stewart inactive.
Cincinnati is currently 4-2 and would be buyers at the trade deadline. However, there is some debate about whether Stewart could be used in a package to make an addition.
Cincinnati Bengals Unlikely To Trade Shemar Stewart
Stewart was the 17th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. However, he only played 280 defensive snaps as a rookie and did not record a sack. He was expected to be a player who was a project and would grow as he played. However, the Bengals made an effort to keep him off the field this year.
They signed Boye Mafe to a big deal in free agency. Then, they drafted Cashius Howell in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Last year, Stewart was behind former first-round pick Myles Murphy and was competing with depth rusher Cedric Johnson. So, he was going to compete for a top-three spot, and they added two more names into the mix.
He has not responded to the competition. Stewart had just 17 snaps in the Bengals’ first five games. After the bye week, the team took him out of the plans and made him a healthy inactive. Cincinnati won 35-13, perhaps a sign that his presence was not missed. So, the trade speculation makes sense.
Baby did not expand on why a trade would be so far-fetched. However, it could be because Cincinnati is a draft-and-develop team.
Bengals Lean Heavily on Draft Picks
The team has a history of slow-playing draft picks and easing them onto the field. Dax Hill hardly played in his rookie season and is now an impact starter. Myles Murphy did not start in the first two seasons but now has 15 career starts with the Bengals.
Armarius Mims looked like a bust as a rookie, progressed in year two, and now is likely to get a massive extension with the Bengals. So, the team is likely not as worried about the lack of development internally as fans and media are on the outside.
At the same time, he still has plenty of value due to his draft status. Cincinnati has roster needs elsewhere. They could use his value to upgrade the current roster. It will be an interesting debate in the next few weeks. Cincinnati is a conservative organization, but with Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase, the team might get more aggressive.
Bengals Insider Delivers Reality Check on Shemar Stewart Trade