Bengals DE Cashius Howell Undergoes Wrist Surgery

Howell has since undergone surgery. Head coach Zac Taylor said (h/t ESPN’s Ben Baby) a timetable is not yet in place as things stand. He added, however, that Howell is likely to be placed on injured reserve.

An IR stint would require at least a four-game absence. Howell would not be eligible to return before Week 13 in the event he were moved to injured reserve. That would leave Cincinnati without an important depth option along the edge. Howell has logged a 39% snap share so far, registering one sack and 10 quarterback pressures.

As Baby notes, Howell’s 14.3% pressure rate currently ranks second in the NFL among rookies. The Texas A&M product entered the league with high expectations based on his abilities as a speed rusher in particular. Cincinnati’s re-tooled defensive front has enjoyed a successful start to the year; the Bengals currently sit fourth in the league with 23 sacks. They are set to be shorthanded in that department for the time being, though.

It will be interesting to see if Howell’s absence will result in more playing time for Shemar Stewart. A lack of usage when on the field (for four games and counting in 2026) has led to trade speculation in Stewart’s case, although the Bengals are not looking to move on from him. Stewart was active for Week 8, and he could see an uptick in playing time with Howell out of the fold.