Geno Stone
Getty
The Bills have signed former Bengals safety Geno Stone to a one-year contract in free agency
The Buffalo Bills have been hard at work to kick off free agency. The front office has swung some big moves, such as acquiring D.J. Moore in a trade and signing Bradley Chubb to a multi-year deal, but they also realize that they have holes on their roster that can be filled with more subtle additions.
Perhaps one of the biggest areas of weakness for Buffalo last season was at the safety position, where the trio of Cole Bishop, Jordan Poyer, and Taylor Rapp were among the worst groups in the league. The Bills have already revamped this spot, but their work continued on Friday night when they made a move for former Cincinnati Bengals starting safety Geno Stone.
Bills Sign Geno Stone to One-Year Contract
Jordan Schultz
Sources: The #Bills are signing former #Bengals S Geno Stone to a 1-year deal.
Stone has 14 career INTs with 21 PBUs, and will be a key contributor to Buffalo’s defense.
Stone was selected in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens, but he ended up earning more and more responsibilities as time went on. By the 2023 season, Stone was a full-time starter, and after he recorded seven interceptions, he signed a two-year, $14 million contract with the Bengals in free agency.
In his two years with Cincinnati, Stone has started all 34 games the team has played in. He’s fresh off another strong season for Cincy, even as he saw his role result in him playing as more of an in-the-box safety. This led to Stone racking up career highs in tackles (104) and sacks (two), while also recording two interceptions (one of which he returned for a touchdown) and four pass breakups.
The Bengals let Stone hit the open market, and after the Bills released Rapp, it became clear that they needed some more help at safety. While Buffalo signed the versatile C.J. Gardner-Johnson recently, it opted to double-dip at safety, as the front office signed Stone to a one-year contract on Friday night.
“Sources: The Bills are signing former Bengals S Geno Stone to a 1-year deal,” NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported in a post on X. “Stone has 14 career INTs with 21 PBUs, and will be a key contributor to Buffalo’s defense.”
Bills Will Feature New-Look Secondary in 2026
Geno Stone, Houston Texans
GettyGeno Stone #22 of the Cincinnati Bengals returns an interception against the Tennessee Titans.
Where Stone will factor into Buffalo’s secondary remains to be seen. Bishop will likely remain a starter in 2026, but Gardner-Johnson and Stone have the versatility to fill several different roles. As noted above, Stone played more in the box last season, rather than in a deeper-lying role, while Gardner-Johnson has spent time playing at cornerback throughout his career.
These are all things that first-year defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard can figure out in due time. In the meantime, the Bills are focused on bringing as many talented players to town, and so far, they have done a pretty job at that. There are still needs that should be addressed before the team returns to action, but with free agency still rolling on and the 2026 NFL Draft quickly approaching, it feels like Buffalo still has several big moves left to make this offseason.