The Bengals guaranteed $1.5 million of the new contract, which OverTheCap.com writer Jason Fitzgerald notes historically with Cincinnati means a virtual guarantee on his entire year’s salary.
Stone started all 17 games for the Bengals last year and had four interceptions, but three of them came during the team’s five-game winning streak to end the season. He had struggled through a 4-8 start and was a part of an especially poor defense the first 12 games.
His inconsistent play, coming off a seven-interception campaign with Baltimore in 2023, led to speculation he might be cut this offseason, but the Bengals did not sign any free agents or draft players at the position.
The Bengals are set to move forward with Stone and Jordan Battle at the starting safety spots.
“I’m excited about (the safety position),” Bengals defensive coordinator Al Golden said at the NFL Combine in February. “Now that Jordan (Battle)‘s got another year under his belt and the veteran side of Geno. I’m excited about it. We’ll see where we go, whether we supplement that. There’s a good starting point for us. We’ll see when we get to camp in terms of how we want to utilize them and things that we’ll do differently. I think it’s a great starting point for us right now.”
The new deal appears an even clearer sign that Stone remains in the plans, but he is set to be a free agent in 2026 and has much to play for this year.
Golden said he is looking for someone to command the team from the safety position, an area Stone could improve upon as a less vocal player.
“You have to be audible and demonstrative,” Golden said of what’s needed at safety. “You have to defend the deep ball really well whether that’s third, half, quarter. You have to be a great tackler, especially in the alley. There’s more than that, but that’s a good start. If you can start there with those traits.
“Anytime you want to have a great defense you have to be great up the middle from a communication standpoint. There is so much that makes up today’s offenses - the pre-snap motions, the empty, the empty quads, the jet motions. If you’re not demonstrative, if you’re not confident and it’s our job to get that from our guys.”
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
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