Ex-Bengals safety Geno Stone brings versatility to Bills
Building the new-look Buffalo Bills defense continued Friday when the team agreed to terms with safety Geno Stone on a one-year contract.
Building the new-look Buffalo Bills defense continued Friday when the team agreed to terms with safety Geno Stone on a one-year contract.
A league source confirmed the signing to The Buffalo News, which Jordan Schultz first reported. Stone is expected to sign his contract sometime next week.
Stone started 45 games for the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens across the past three regular seasons. He's only 26 years old and intercepted seven passes for the Ravens in 2023. Last season, Stone totaled 104 tackles, including four for a loss, and he had a pick-six for the second year in a row.
Former Bengals safety Geno Stone started 34 regular-season games over the past two years.
Carolyn Kaster, Associated Press
The Bills are getting Stone at a discount because he had trouble in coverage last season for the Bengals. According to Pro Football Focus, he missed 18.7% of his tackles and allowed 14.5 yards per reception. Stone fits Buffalo's preference for versatile players in its secondary. In 2025, he played a career-high 272 snaps in the box, 625 at free safety and 72 in the slot.
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Two of the Bills' other signings this week, nickel cornerback Dee Alford and safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, possess similar traits. The team's new defensive coordinator, Jim Leonhard, wants his safeties in particular to be able to play the three positions. Stone gives the Bills depth and competition, with Gardner-Johnson, Cole Bishop and Jordan Hancock also on the roster.The signing could be a sign that Buffalo will not prioritize safety or nickel cornerback in the NFL draft next month, though general manager and president of football operations Brandon Beane can target one later in the draft. Depending on the Bills' vision for Terrel Bernard, their biggest remaining need on defense may be inside linebacker. They would also benefit from another edge rusher, though Leonhard has Greg Rousseau, Bradley Chubb, Michael Hoecht, Landon Jackson and Javon Solomon.
In 85 career regular-season games, Stone has 312 tackles with 21 passes defended and 14 interceptions. His breakout occurred in 2023 with the Ravens, when he had a career-high nine passes defended and played 82% of their snaps. His role increased in Cincinnati, which gave the Western Pennsylvania native a two-year, $15 million contract in March 2024. Over the past two years, he played 97% and 93% of the Bengals' defensive snaps.