Former Ravens safety Geno Stone may be in for another historic season with the Cincinnati Bengals. Expect defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo to polish Stone and build a scheme that favors his ball-hawking tendencies.
Bengals signing safety Geno Stone to two-year, $15M deal. (via @rapsheet) pic.twitter.com/gKnQVtqT2Q
— NFL (@NFL) March 11, 2024
Last season, the Bengals were inhibited by two key shortcomings. First, they lost all-pro safety Jesse Bates III to the Atlanta Falcons, and then their starting quarterback Joe Burrow went down in the middle of the season with a hand injury. Still, the Bengals finished the season with a 9-8 record and defensive end Trey Henderson ranked No. 2 in the NFL in total sacks.
Anarumo understands that Stone likes to play aggressively, and so does he. The Bengals had 26 takeaways last season, ranking No. 7 in the NFL. The Bengals are looking to build a secondary behind defensive tackle B.J Hill and Hendrickson. With Stone and the return of safety Vance Bell, defensive back Mike Hilton may see more opportunities to blitz as defensive backs Cam Taylor Britt and Dax Hill work outside.
The Bengals were just a few victories away from the Super Bowl in 2022 and 2023. With Stone, they want to build on the identity that helped turn their franchise around. As an AFC North powerhouse, the Ravens need to be aware of their rivals’ moves to dethrone them in 2024.
