It looks like the Bengals are satisfied at the safety position.
The Cincinnati Bengals and safety Geno Stone have agreed to decrease the veteran’s pay heading into the 2025 season, according to Over the Cap’s Jason Fitzgerald. Stone was set to make $6.475 million, and now that number has dropped to $4.9 million for the 2025 season.
The safety position hasn’t been a strength for the defense since Jessie Bates and Vonn Bell 1.0 were the team’s duo, helping them get to a Super Bowl and two straight AFC Championship games. Bates was replaced by Dax Hill in 2023, who now plays corner so you know how that went, and then the Bengals signed Stone prior to the 2024 season.
Just the year before for the Ravens, Stone picked off seven passes, but in 2024 he struggled alongside Vonn Bell 2.0, posting a PFF coverage grade of 53.7. He did turn things around later in the year, but he still finished near the bottom of safeties when it comes to PFF’s coverage grade.
Stone is now entering the final season of his contract and will be looking to prove he’s better than what he posted in his lone season with the Bengals. If he bounces back and has a season similar to his last one with the Ravens, he could land a big payday before the 2026 season.
Hopefully he and the Bengals find themselves in a win-win situation by the end of the season.
