Throughout the summer leading up to the regular season, we will go through the entire 2024 Cincinnati Bengals roster. Every single day until the season opener against the New England Patriots , we will break down a player on the roster including his background, contract status, and path towards making the team.
Today, a new ballhawk in Geno Stone emerges. The Bengals have gotten used to having a reliable free safety on top of their defense over the past several years. They could only last one season without one snagging Stone away from a division rival in free agency.
Geno Stone
- Age: 25
- Year: 5th
- Position: Safety
- College: Iowa
- Previous Teams: Baltimore Ravens, Houston Texans
- Jersey Number: 22
Stone was drafted by the Ravens with the 219th overall pick in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He spent three years at Iowa and played all three years starting with 13 appearances off the bench as a true freshman in 2017. While he didn't play much on defense, he led the team in special teams tackles. He emerged as a starter midway through his sophomore year in 2018 and hauled in a career-high seven passes defensed and four interceptions (one returned for a touchdown). He was named a permanent team captain as a junior in 2019 and started all 13 games on his way to a career-high 70 tackles, five passes defensed, and an interception. He was also named Second Team All-Big Ten.
Graded as a mid-round prospect, Stone fell all the way to the Ravens in the seventh round. He made the 53-man roster as a rookie but was waived in the middle of the season and added back to the practice squad. He was elevated for a game in Week 10 before reverting back to the practice squad. He was waived again late in the season and claimed by the Texans for the final week of the season. The Texans didn't retain him and the Ravens re-signed him in the 2021 offseason.
Stone earned a role in the Ravens' safety room as a second-year player and saw the field for 219 snaps, with the vast majority at free safety. His usage took another step in 2022 when Marcus Williams got hurt in the middle of the season. Stone started seven-straight contests at Williams' free safety spot. Baltimore saw enough to re-sign Stone for a second consecutive offseason in 2023.
In his final year in purple and black, Stone stepped in for Williams once again to begin the season, only this time, he stayed in the starting lineup after Williams returned. He was officially credited with 11 starts in 19 games played (including postseason), but his 1,000 total snaps ranked fifth in the Ravens' top-ranked defense. He took advantage of his opportunity and led the NFL with seven interceptions, including one against Joe Burrow and the Bengals in Week 2.
Contract details
Stone signed a two-year, $14 million contract with the Bengals this offseason. He will earn a base salary of $1.125 million for the 2024 season. He's already earned $3 million from his signing bonus and another $3 million from his roster bonus, as well as $100,000 from a workout bonus. He can also earn up to $250,000 in per game roster bonuses. His cap number for the season will be $6.025 million
Roster outlook
The Bengals didn't waste any time solving the safety position this offseason. Stone agreed to terms on the first day of legal tampering to stay in the AFC North for a full-time starting gig.
No longer does he have to wait for injuries ahead of him. The Bengals will want him on the field as much as possible along with Vonn Bell.
Projected role: Starting free safety
Previous player breakdowns
Related: Bengals Roster Breakdown: Vonn Bell picking up where he left off as pivotal leader in Cincinnati
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