Bengals DE Shemar Stewart carted off with leg injury

A potentially serious knee injury to a key defensive player has cast an early shadow over the Cincinnati Bengals' training camp. Second-year defensive end Shemar Stewart, the team's 2025 first-round draft pick, was carted off the field on Wednesday, July 29, after suffering an apparent leg injury during an 11-on-11 drill.

Video and reports from the practice field showed Stewart's left leg bending at an unnatural angle as he went down. He was unable to put weight on the leg and was transported by cart to the team facility. While the Bengals have not yet released an official diagnosis or the results of imaging, the nature of the injury has raised immediate concerns about its severity. A former NFL head doctor who reviewed the footage suggested it could be a significant hyperextension injury involving ligament tears, potentially threatening Stewart's 2026 season.

The injury is a significant setback for both the player and the team's defensive plans. Stewart, selected 17th overall out of Texas A&M, played in only eight games as a rookie due to ankle and knee injuries, recording one sack. He was expected to be a foundational piece in new defensive coordinator Al Golden's system,...