The Cincinnati Bengals aren’t trading Shemar Stewart.
As we stressed since the buzz started, Stewart doesn’t have much trade value, nor would the Bengals give up on him at that minimal value after spending a recent first-round pick on him, among other factors.
Still, Stewart being a healthy scratch last week is fresh on the minds of most, if not concerning, too.
Before Week 8 against the Tennessee Titans, Bengals defensive coordinator Al Golden spoke on Stewart’s journey and where things go from here.
“I'm not discouraged at all in Shemar,” Golden said, according to Mike Petraglia of CLNS Media. “I'm really not. I think that was unfortunate. I was really hoping to see him take a big jump last week, and I have the same hope as I sit here today, we just
worked him in in the walkthrough. We'll continue to do that this afternoon in practice, and I'm looking for that moment where we don't turn back, if I'm being honest with you. So I'm disappointed for him and what he's had to. This has been a hard start. I said it last week, it's been difficult. So he's been really positive. He continues to get better, and when it's his when it's his turn, the important thing is that he doesn't leave the field again.”
Loosely, the Bengals hope that once Stewart earns that fourth spot in the rotation on the edge, that he doesn’t let it go. Right now, even Cedric Johnson on the edge (and Kris Jenkins Jr. on the interior) outrank him.
That’s not where the Bengals hoped a top draft pick would be in his second season. But Stewart’s rookie year got derailed by the contract standoff and injuries before this past summer also got ruined by an injury.
Stewart continues to play from behind and it’s costing him in a win-now rotation. But the Bengals will continue to clutch the idea that he’ll turn a corner and haven’t come close to considering him a trade candidate in any capacity.
This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Shemar Stewart gets comment from Bengals coach after trade speculation
