Bengals Announce Roster Moves Involving Shemar Stewart Ahead of Miami Dolphins Action

Cincinnati gets it top 2025 draft pick back on the field Sunday.

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Shemar Stewart (97) runs on the field in the fourth quarter of the NFL Week 7 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Pittsburgh Steelers at Paycor Stadium in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. The Bengals won, 33-31. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

CINCINNATI — The Bengals made roster moves heading into this weekend's game against the Dolphins. Cincinnati is lifting Shemar Stewart off of injured reserve and moving Kris Jenkins onto it in a shake-up on the defensive line.

Jenkins' entry means his ankle injury against Baltimore this past weekend is ending his 2025 season. Stewart has only gotten to play in five games as a rookie due to injury, and all that time to recover may have him feeling like he did in Week 1 against the Browns, which was by far his most impactful game of the season.

He told reporters earlier this month that it's important to at least make some kind of positive impact down the stretch. The rookie has six total tackles this season.

“Coming in and playing two games, then being hurt in the second game, then coming back five weeks later and getting hurt immediately after that game, it's not great for anybody's confidence, especially somebody like me that's never been hurt ever,” Stewart said last week. 

“I never missed a game in college. I never missed a practice in college. Coming in here and missing 10 weeks is just hard on the mental,” he added. Getting some impact and strong tape from the young defenders down the stretch would help set the stage more clearly for the 2026 offseason.

Stewart and the Bengals get back on the field against Miami Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.

We have activated DE Shemar Stewart to the roster from the Reserve/Injured list and placed DT Kris Jenkins Jr. on the Reserve/Injured list.

🔗: https://t.co/mnaweaXfdr pic.twitter.com/zTd4Od0VfL

— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) December 19, 2025

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