CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Bengals have made a surprising decision ahead of Sunday's AFC North matchup against the Baltimore Ravens, declaring defensive end Shemar Stewart inactive despite the former first-round pick being healthy.
Stewart, the 17th overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft, is one of five Bengals who will not dress for Sunday's game. Cincinnati entered the weekend without any players carrying an injury designation, making Stewart's absence a coaching and roster decision rather than an injury-related one.
The second-year defensive end has struggled to establish himself in Cincinnati's rotation. Stewart has appeared in three games this season, recording three tackles and one sack while playing just 17 defensive snaps.
His development has been slowed by injuries, including a knee issue that kept him out of training camp. Other defensive ends have since moved ahead of him on the depth chart, including rookie Cashius Howell and Cedric Johnson.
The decision comes amid speculation about Stewart's future in Cincinnati, with reports suggesting other teams have shown interest ahead of the NFL trade deadline. However, there is no indication that Sunday's inactive designation means a trade is imminent.
The Bengals also declared safety Russ Yeast, center Connor Lew, offensive tackle Myles Hinton, and defensive tackle Landon Robinson inactive.
Cincinnati (3-2) faces Baltimore (4-2) at 1 p.m. ET, looking to take advantage of a Ravens team playing without injured quarterback Lamar Jackson.
