NEW NOW: Cincinnati Bengals, signing of slot defender in 2024 accomplished two very significant goals.
The Bengals should sign safety Geno Stone from the Ravens in order to repeat their last free agency theft.
With Hilton’s arrival three years ago, a secondary that was in need of seasoned leadership and proven talent was strengthened. With his special edge, he took over a position that is usually disregarded. By leaving the Pittsburgh Steelers, he also gave it to the Bengals, depriving a division opponent of it.
The Bengals’ victory over an AFC North foe bolstered their defence. By signing safety Geno Stone away from the Baltimore Ravens, they can accomplish the same goal.
The Ravens selected Stone in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He only saw two snaps in his first season before playing 669 snaps as a defensive back in the rotation in 2021–2022. Not until the previous season, when he recorded exactly 1,000 snaps from Week 1 through the AFC Championship, did he establish himself as a starter every week.
He played approximately 70% of his playing time at free safety, where the Ravens were better off featuring him. With seven interceptions, which is one more than former Bengal Jessie Bates III, he topped all safeties, and his Pro Football Focus coverage grade of 85.3 supports that output.
While PFF ratings are interesting, the Bengals witnessed Stone’s influence in Week 2 of the previous campaign. Part of Baltimore’s 27-24 victory over Cincinnati came from Stone intercepting Joe Burro in the red zone.
This offseason, the Bengals could give up on Scott, but they won’t give up on Hill. Stone is a great alternative to play in the deep middle if they determine that the former first-round pick is better off playing near the line of scrimmage.
Sports salary cap specialists from A to Z When predicting Stone’s free agency future, Josh Queipo and Kyle Dediminicantanio essentially said the same thing:
What will Geno Stone’s signing cost the Bengals?
Stone is a perfect fit for what the Bengals need, much like Hilton was three years ago, and acquiring him would hurt a division opponent in the process. But what about the price? Hilton got a four-year deal worth just $24 million, and an average annual value of $6 million turned out to be a steal.
In 2021, the salary cap was $182.5 million. This year, it is expected to reach $242.5 million, a $60 million increase in just three years! When taking cap inflation into account, the offer Queipo and Kyle Dediminicantanio anticipate Stone landing on the open market appears to be comparable to Hilton’s, if not better:
If the Bengals provide a multi-year offer to you in free agency, there are specific qualities you need to search for. The player has experience playing in major games, is probably in the process of ascending, and is seeking a second contract.
In addition to spending several years in the AFC North, Stone recently finished what was arguably his best season to date. He was one game away from winning the Super Bowl. Furthermore, he is not yet 25 years old.
In order to collaborate with Hill and Jordan Battle, the Bengals will probably add another seasoned safety to Scott’s roster this offseason. Given how awful the previous season was, it is not a good idea to leave the job unattended and hope that Hill succeeds. They should make better use of his abilities and delegate those tasks to a competent deep safety.
Like Hilton occupied the position three years prior, Stone can permanently resolve Cincinnati’s problems at free safety.
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