{"id":869450,"date":"2026-04-18T21:48:36","date_gmt":"2026-04-18T21:48:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/869450\/"},"modified":"2026-04-18T21:48:36","modified_gmt":"2026-04-18T21:48:36","slug":"bengals-shemar-stewart-given-dubious-honor-ahead-of-nfl-draft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/869450\/","title":{"rendered":"Bengals Shemar Stewart Given Dubious Honor Ahead of NFL Draft"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\"Shemar\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGetty\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

Sports Illustrated took inventory of the 2025 NFL Draft, naming Shemar Stewart of the Cincinnati Bengals as the worst pick.<\/p>\n

There was a lot of hope for the Cincinnati Bengals<\/a> when they drafted Shemar Stewart<\/a> with the 17th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. That was hope that never came to fruition during his rookie season.<\/p>\n

With the 2026 NFL<\/a> Draft now less than a week away, Sports Illustrated writer Matt Verdarame went back to take inventory of that draft. He came away ranking Stewart as the worst selection in the entire draft.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s no secret that there were issues. Those came almost right away off the field, as Stewart and the Bengals struggled to come to terms on his rookie contract. That made things awkward almost right away and limited his participation during the offseason. It\u2019s certainly possible that this contributed to his struggles on the field once the season came around.<\/p>\n

Stewart missed time during the season with a knee injury and only ended up playing in eight games. In that limited time, he managed to accumulate just 1.0 sacks and 2 tackles for a loss.<\/p>\n

Why the Cincinnati Bengals and Shemar Stewart Earned This Dubious Honor\"Shemar<\/p>\n

GettyCincinnati Bengals edge rusher Shemar Stewart<\/p>\n

If Shemar Stewart had his off-field issues negotiating a contract but played well, it would be one thing. If he had struggled on the field, but there had been no contract dispute, it would be another. Neither would be ideal, but combining them made for an ominous start to his NFL career.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything about Stewart joining the Bengals has gone poorly. After being selected with the No. 17 pick out of Texas A&M<\/a>, Stewart didn\u2019t sign for months, missing a portion of Cincinnati\u2019s offseason program before showing up to training camp in late July,\u201d Verdarame wrote<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cStewart, 22, ended up appearing in eight games, amassing only four quarterback hits with a sack while playing 53% of Cincinnati\u2019s defensive snaps. With Trey Hendrickson<\/a> now moving on to the Ravens in free agency, the Bengals desperately need Stewart to become a force up front.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Bengals are still seen as a team that needs to address the edge rusher position. That\u2019s in large part because of how Stewart struggled. So, if they do look to address the edge with the 10th overall pick, they\u2019ll need to make sure to find someone who can provide more immediate production.<\/p>\n

Bengals Defensive Line Coach Jerry Montgomery Explains Shemar Stewart\u2019s Rookie Struggles\"Shemar<\/p>\n

GettyCincinnati Bengals edge rusher Shemar Stewart<\/p>\n

If there is anyone who knows what went wrong in Shemar Stewart\u2019s rookie season, it\u2019s Cincinnati Bengals defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery. During an appearance on the Bengals Booth\u00a0podcast, Montgomery looked to explain his on-field struggles as being related to the time he missed.<\/p>\n

\u201cShemar missed six months of football,\u201d Montgomery\u00a0said<\/a>. \u201cHe was injured. He missed most of the season. I would say there were times he wasn\u2019t ready to be out there as a guy that just missed so much football.\u201d<\/p>\n

There\u2019s no doubt that Stewart was in a bad situation during his rookie season. He missed a good amount of practice time and then couldn\u2019t find consistent time during the season with his injuries. So, if that was the issue, being healthy and not in a contract dispute should go a long way in helping him make a year two leap.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think with some development and a full offseason\u2026he\u2019s healthy, he\u2019s doing a great job in his offseason training right now, I look for him to have a big year, and I\u2019m excited about his future,\u201d Montgomery concluded.<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\tDan Morrison<\/a> After graduating from UMass in 2019, Dan Morrison quickly began a career in sports journalism and digital media. That has seen him work both as a contributing writer at several publications, as well as spending time on the National News Desk at On3. During that time, he has spent the majority of his time covering football, both at the college and NFL levels. Currently residing in Central Florida, his focus with Heavy is on the NFL. More about Dan Morrison<\/a>\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\tMore Heavy on Bengals\n\t\t<\/p>\n

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