Pair of Bengals Second-Year Players Facing Pressure to Perform in 2026

Two young Cincinnati Bengals defenders will be under a microscope heading into 2026, despite the sweeping changes the team's front office made to the defense.

Last year's first-round edge rusher Shemar Stewart and second-round linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr. were among the second-year players identified by PFF's Bradley Locker as facing pressure to perform this season. Both Stewart and Knight had rookie seasons that left much to desire.

Does that mean either player is being written off? No. But it does mean Cincinnati needs them to contribute more than they did during their rookie seasons.

Bengals Require More From Their Young Defense Pieces

Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr. (44) runs for the locker room with an injury 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. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Stewart was selected by the Bengals at No. 17 overall in last year's draft and was among the most polarizing players because of his rare athleticism and size. Contract questions hampered his rookie camps, and he dealt with knee and ankle injuries during the regular season, limiting Stewart to just 280 snaps and making it difficult to find any momentum.

"I'm not going to sit here and say it was an easy year for me," Stewart told reporters this spring. "I definitely had my fair share of losses throughout the year. You definitely get beat up, but you've got to come back stronger."

Even with the injuries, the production was not up to where it needed to be. Locker wrote that Stewart "underwhelmed mightily" when he was on the field, and PFF was critical of his run defense.

Stewart's pass-rushing efficiency will also need to take a step up now that Trey Hendrickson parted ways with Cincinnati this offseason. The Bengals added Boye Mafe to the edge group via free agency, but Stewart has to become a key part of the rotation, if not one of the leading contributors.

For Knight, he is also in a similar spot.

Knight quickly became a starter, but his first season in Cincinnati's defense was inconsistent.

"His 40.2 overall PFF grade ranked 56th out of 59 qualified linebackers in 2025, finishing below a 45.5 mark in both run defense and coverage," Locker wrote. "The South Carolina product also missed 15% of his tackles, tied for the 15th-highest in that contingent."

The encouraging news for both players is that the defense around them should be significantly better this season. The Bengals have more talent up front, thanks to the additions of Mafe and Dexter Lawrence, and more experience at several key positions.

Cincinnati does not need Stewart and Knight to become superstar-caliber players overnight. What they need is for the pair of 2025 draftees to look like reliable starters who justify the front office's investment in them.

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