Bengals DE Shemar Stewart expected to miss several weeks after left knee hyperextension in practice

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Shemar Stewart is expected to miss several weeks after suffering a left knee injury during practice on Wednesday, prompting him to leave the field on a cart, according to a report that cited Bengals head coach Zac Taylor. Stewart was later seen on crutches and wearing a protective brace, an indication that the team treated the incident as more than a minor setback.

Taylor’s update, as relayed by Ben Baby of ESPN, focused on the seriousness of the mechanism while also trying to contain the damage. He said Stewart’s knee was hyperextended, and that the Bengals avoided a worst-case scenario. In practical terms, that framing suggests the injury did not trigger the most feared structural outcome, though it still has enough of an impact to keep Stewart sidelined through the coming portion of the offseason and into training-camp ramp-up.

The Bengals are building toward the regular season with an emphasis on defensive pressure, and Stewart’s role as a pass-rushing edge option makes his availability meaningful even when games are still months away. When a starting-caliber contributor is removed from practice reps for weeks, the immediate effect shows up in depth and continuity, especially for edge rotation patterns and situational work against the run.

At this stage of the calendar, losing reps can also affect how quickly other defenders are able to establish timing and chemistry. Even without specific details on how Cincinnati will redistribute Stewart’s snaps, the team will likely lean on the next men up along the defensive front, with additional coaching emphasis on gap integrity, hand-fighting fundamentals, and staying assignment-sound during half-speed learning stretches.

For Stewart personally, the injury carries a rehabilitation and conditioning timeline rather than a single-day recovery. A hyperextended knee often means the focus turns to stability and mobility first, then strengthening, before a gradual return to full-speed practice. That makes “several weeks” a concrete window, not merely a day-to-day label, and it shapes what the Bengals can safely ask from him when they approach late-summer practice intensity.

The report also underscores how the Bengals are handling uncertainty in real time. While Taylor suggested the situation was not at the worst end of the spectrum, the fact that Stewart required crutches and a brace means the medical plan will be outcome-driven, with clearance checks determining when he can transition from limited activity to full work.

What to watch next is how Cincinnati updates Stewart’s status as the offseason progresses. The next practical benchmarks are whether he can return to any portion of practice, whether he can participate in non-contact drills, and how the defensive staff manages the edge group’s workload during his absence so that other players do not absorb too much volume too quickly.