The Cincinnati Bengals have plenty of underrated players on their roster when thinking about things from a national perspective.
For example, Trey Hendrickson hasn’t exactly been a household name despite production that places him in the top-tier rankings alongside the likes of T.J. Watt.
As it turns out, one of the team’s newcomers this offseason arrives underrated, too.
Doug Farrar of Touchdown Wire outlined each team’s most underrated player and listed safety Geno Stone:
It’s a great move for Lou Anarumo’s defense, which had been struggling at safety for a while, but when a guy plays in the deep third on 80% of his snaps and allows 28 catches on 42 targets for 197 yards, 145 yards after the catch, two touchdowns, seven interceptions, and an opponent passer rating of 53.5…
Stone came over via free agency this offseason as what the team hopes is a better-late-than-never Jessie Bates replacement.
Already learning the defense from Vonn Bell, Stone will be a workhorse for the unit while Bell and sophomore Jordan Battle see the field too — all while former first-round pick Dax Hill competes at cornerback.
Should Stone be a nice fit for Lou Anarumo’s scheme, last year’s down season for the unit would indeed be an anomaly — and possibly help raise Stone’s national profile in the process.