Expectations are through the roof for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2026, with investment in the roster designed to make them competitive this season. Still, with Training Camp just around the corner, the Bengals still have some major questions to answer.
Perhaps the biggest of those questions comes down to whether or not they’re actually improved along the defensive line. That was the main effort, trading for Dexter Lawrence, drafting Cashius Howell, and signing Boye Mafe and Jonathan Allen.
In all of that, two former first-round picks, Myles Murphy and Shemar Stewart, need to prove themselves still. In particular, as Chris Roling of Bengals Wire wrote, as they battle for spots this Training Camp.
Cincinnati Bengals Edge Rusher Shemar Stewart Needs to Bounce Back From His Rookie Season
GettyCincinnati Bengals edge rusher Shemar Stewart
The Cincinnati Bengals used their first-round pick in 2025 on Shemar Stewart. Almost immediately, things went off the rails. He and the Bengals got into a contract dispute, and when he was on the field, he underperformed and battled injuries.
On top of that, Stewart was regarded as talented but a developmental project coming out of college. So, he needs to take a major step forward.
“If nothing else, Stewart doesn’t have draft prep or contract worries this summer, so he’s been able to just focus on the knowledge gained about the system and pros last year. Now, it’s time for it to show up on the field,” Roling wrote.
On the plus side, Bengals defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery has good reason to expect improvement. Stewart has his full season of development now and he should be healthy. That goes a long way.
“I think with some development and a full offseason…he’s healthy, he’s doing a great job in his offseason training right now, I look for him to have a big year, and I’m excited about his future,” Montgomery said.
The Bengals Need to Make a Myles Murphy Decision
GettyCincinnati Bengals edge rusher Myles Murphy
A bit older at edge rusher for the Bengals is Myles Murphy. He was a first-round pick back in 2023, and it’s been an inconsistent career to this point for Murphy, struggling to live up to where he was selected. So, even off a 5.5 sack season in 2025, the Bengals declined his fifth-year option for 2027.
“Myles Murphy flashed a little bit down the stretch last year. But some would argue it took far too long for his first-round status to show up. Now, he’s got one more chance to prove he can be a long-term solution, even after the Bengals turned down his fifth-year option,” Rolings wrote.
“But chances aren’t guaranteed. There’s Shemar Stewart, Boye Mafe and Cashius Howell vying for snaps, too. Murphy will need to be an every-down presence at all times to keep a dominant snap-share.”
How many chances and what the future holds for Murphy is pretty much up in the air. So, taking advantage of the chances he does get is going to be vital in Training Camp. That could potentially help land him an extension with the Bengals. It could also end up being a step toward getting his new contract somewhere else in free agency after the season.
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