
The Cincinnati Bengals are revamping their defense for the 2026 season, aiming to improve after a lackluster performance. Shemar Stewart, the 2025 first-round pick, is projected to be absent from the starting lineup, raising concerns about his future.

Bengals projected starting defense in 2026 makes Shemar Stewart look like a bust already originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Cincinnati Bengals are undergoing some major changes on the defensive side of the ball this offseason, as Al Golden's unit needs to take a step in the right direction.
With a great offense led by Joe Burrow, the Bengals' defense needs to turn things around and match the offense. And this offseason was all about improving the defense. The projected starters look a lot better than they did last year.
However, in Gary Davenport of Bleacher Reports' projected starting defense for the Bengals, there is a notable lack of Shemar Stewart, as the 2025 first-rounder is already looking like a bust one year in.
"Defense... Edge: Boye Mafe, ," Davenport writes. "If rookie second-rounder Cashius Howell beats out Myles Murphy on the edge, the Bengals will have four new starters on the defensive line, headlined by Pro Bowl tackle .
Shemar Stewart is viewed as a bust due to his projected absence from the starting defense in 2026, just one year after being a first-round pick.
The Bengals are making significant changes to their defense this offseason, focusing on improving their overall performance to match their strong offense.
The projected starters for the Bengals' defense in 2026 have not been fully detailed, but they are expected to be an improvement over last year's lineup.


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The trade for Dexter Lawrence using the No. 10 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and the free agent signing of Boye Mafe were the two big moves of the offseason. Jonathan Allen was a nice pickup as well to give Cincinnati two new interior DL options.
But, for Stewart, the 2025 first-round edge rusher, Murphy is projected as the starter, and the upside case with Cashius Howell, the team's 2026 second-round pick, has him as a possible starter by Week 1 over Stewart as well.
Stewart played in eight games his rookie season, recording just one sack, one pass defended, 11 tackles, two tackles for loss, and four quarterback hits.
But, for the Bengals first-round pick from one year ago not being in the starting lineup despite the position being wide open, it's a sign that he's not living up to expectations in the NFL.
It might be too early to fully call Stewart a bust, as it's only been one season. He's not had much of a chance to prove his worth in the NFL just yet. And he's still only 22 years old.
He can easily change how he's viewed with a strong year two, but at least for now, with this projected starting defense not including Stewart, it's hard not to see Stewart as anything other than a bust.