CINCINNATI — Shemar Stewart is acclimating into the thick of Bengals training camp for the first time in his young NFL career. The second practice he participated in already brought a few highlight moments, including a pair of batted passes with his long frame.

It’s been a whirlwind, but Stewart is starting to get his bearings after the first padded practice of the summer for the Cincinnati Bengals.

“I would say today was a whole lot better than yesterday,” Stewart noted to reporters at his locker following practice. “Today went a whole lot smoother. Yesterday, trying to learn the new plays for today, I came in at 5:30 that morning, trying to learn the playbook. Just a little nervous, got off the field, had a little bit of jitters. Now, today, I know what to expect. I know my signs better, so I went out there and played more freely.”

Stewart hadn’t worn pads at all in 2025 and was very excited to bring that popping energy to the field.

“Everything’s on the table at this point,” Stewart said about pads. “So bull rush, power moves, everything’s on the table for me. I like to be a physical guy and just go into somebody’s chest. So it’s a great day for me. You gotta keep the energy up on both sides. That’s how you have a fun practice. That’s how you make the game fun. If you’re out there with no energy. It’s gonna be a long day for anybody.”

Getting into the flow of his first camp, Stewart seems to be fitting in very well as the final Bengals rookie to get on the field.

Shemar Stewart had back-to-back pass breakups in team drills. Here’s a look at the second one: pic.twitter.com/Nwjz0OBoqk

— James Rapien (@JamesRapien) July 28, 2025