The Bengals brought in the free agent safety after an impressive year with the Ravens
You can’t help but want to pull your hair out when thinking about the Cincinnati Bengals 2024 season thus far.
The team currently sits at 4-7 this season and is outside of the playoff picture despite stellar seasons from Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Trey Hendrickson.
The levels of disappointment this season start with the front office and the lack of urgency to re-sign key in-house players, sign big free agents, and missing in the draft.
Looking back on the free agent signings before the 2024 season, the Bengals front office missed on every single signing.
Guys like Geno Stone and Sheldon Rankins have been massive disappointments, and others like Zack Moss and Trent Brown are both out due to injuries.
Stone was an exciting signing at the time after logging seven interceptions last season for the Ravens and had high expectations in Cincinnati. It has been quite the opposite in 2024, with Stone ranking 63rd out of 65 safeties, according to Pro Football Focus.
Stone discussed his struggles with local media this week.
“When I go out there and chase plays, it looks bad on me. Something goes wrong. It looks bad on me, the last guy in the back of the end zones,” said Stone. So, whatever it may be, I’ll take the criticism. I get paid the big bucks and take the criticism. I’ll never point fingers. That’s never what I do. I’ll take the heat for everything. I’m the last guy on defense all the time. So, if someone wants to blame someone, blame me.”
However, it is clear Stone is fed up with those being critical of his play.
“I definitely have plays where I wish I could take back. Me, I probably had like one or two plays last game,” said Stone. “So, it is what it is. All the media wants to do is, I feel like, all the critics out there, they want to talk about all the bad things that happen, but they ain’t talk about none of the good things, so that’s what creates stories. So it is what it is,” he said in his interview.
There is a high possibility Stone gets cut if his play does not improve in the backstretch of the season, but he has six games to get things right.
