Bengals' weirdest 2025 offseason move is already causing problems

The Cincinnati Bengals headed into yet another offseason with the goal of trying to build a defense that won't completely implode when faced with the slightest degree of resistance, and their constant back-and-forth with Trey Hendrickson certainly didn't put them in a very advantageous position.

Cincinnati decided to spend most of its 2025 NFL Draft capital on improving this unit, which should be complemented. Even with many top picks at their disposal and the need for another star pass rusher next to Hendrickson staring them in the face, Cincinnati managed to take the riskiest option possible.

The Bengals used a first-round pick on Texas A&M stud Shemar Stewart. The pick raised some eyebrows, as Stewart's jaw-dropping workout numbers don't match up with the alarming lack of production he showed at the college level. He also managed to get entangled in a fairly public and nasty contract dispute.

While the Bengals did eventually come to terms on a contract with Stewart, it is still fair to wonder if picking a player with production that barely even warranted him getting drafted in the first place is the guy who can turn this defense around.

Bengals weirdest offseason move was drafting Shemar Stewart

Stewart had just 4.5 sacks in three seasons with the Aggies, though 1.5 of those sacks were against Bowling Green and (at the time) FCS School Sam Houston. Stewart was only picked this high after incredibly impressive 40-yard dash times and strength numbers for someone his size pushed him higher up draft boards.

The Bengals are banking on the same logic that helped the Minnesota Vikings turn Danielle Hunter, who barely brought down any quarterbacks at LSU, into one of the best defensive players in the game. However, the floor for Stewart is as far down as the Grand Canyon.

The fact that the Bengals were unable to come to terms on an extension with Hendrickson means that he could likely be playing somewhere else in 2025. Given the limited financial flexibility this team has and the Brown family's historical penchant for pinching pennies at any opportunity, it stands to reason that Stewart could be the top pass rusher on this team as soon as next season.

Stewart could turn the Bengals into a force to be reckoned with, but there just as likely a chance that he ends up turning into the same ultra-athletic bust that many failed first-rounders look just like.