CINCINNATI – While rookie Daijahn Anthony and backup cornerback Allan George have stood out with multiple interceptions during training camp, the ball hawk the Cincinnati Bengals signed in free agency for that express purpose has barely put his hands on the ball.
But it’s coming. Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo knows it. Quarterback Joe Burrow expects it. And Geno Stone, more than anyone else, is certainly aware of what’s to come.
“Joe’s just a smart quarterback,” Stone said. “I’ve been telling Joe to throw me the ball, but he don’t want to throw it my way right now.”
‘Hell No’ – New Bengals Safety Geno Safety Has Message for Joe Burrow
It might have something to do with Stone, the former Baltimore Ravens safety, outsmarting Burrow and scoring a key interception in the Ravens’ Week 2 win at Paycor Stadium last year.
Or it could be because Stone is usually where he’s supposed to be, forcing Burrow on to the next step in his progression.
It was Friday when Stone was half-heartedly lamenting the lack of opportunities to make plays. Sunday, Burrow threw the ball his way. After Stone spiked the pass intended for Andrei Iosivas into the ground, he sent something back to Burrow and the rest of the offense.
“Hell no,” he yelled after his long-awaited big play.
Geno Stone says “Hell no!”to Joe Burrow and Andrei Iosivas pic.twitter.com/D4pbeyMSVo
— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) August 4, 2024
Iosivas had worked free and was wide open on a corner route heading for the pylon when Burrow lofted a soft floater for his receiver to run under and grab. But Stone closed fast, then appeared to slow down and wait for Iosivas to get his hands on the ball before blasting it free of his grip.
“I just kind of knew the play and had a jump on it,” Stone said. “I saw where he was going. I said to (Iosivas), ‘Normally, I’m probably going to run through you and catch the ball.’ But I’m trying to take care of my teammates right now.”
Stone’s career-high seven interceptions last year were second-most in the league behind Dallas Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland. His nine passes defensed also marked a career-high and led the Bengals to sign the 2020 seventh-round pick to a two-year, $14 million contract in March.
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The play against Iosivas perfectly illustrates why Stone is in Cincinnati. It starts with his IQ and recognition abilities and ends with his plays on the ball.
Miscommunication and busted assignments in the secondary doomed Cincinnati’s playoff hopes as much as — or possibly more — than Burrow’s wrist injury. Fixing the issue began with bringing in Stone and welcoming back Vonn Bell to parse the plan and patrol the backend of Anarumo’s scheme.
“The communication has been really sharp,” Taylor said. “There’s a lot of veterans in that first 11 you are talking about. When you add two veteran safeties that have played a ton of NFL football on the back end, that’s what shifts everything forward. That’s been fun to see.”
Early in the spring, Stone was leaning on Bell, who has retained volumes of knowledge after spending three seasons playing for Anarumo from 2020-2022
“I asked Vonn a lot of questions early on, and I still do from time to time,” Stone said. “I pick Joe’s brain every day, too, asking what he sees from me and the defense. I know that guy knows what I’m gonna do, so I try to disguise things as much as I can.
“Offense is always trying to evolve and get better and outsmart the defenses,” he continued. “It’s a cat-and-mouse game. You’ve always got to try to one-up the other person.”
Part of that game is staying patient, which Stone said he has learned to do after his last couple of training camps in Baltimore started the same way as this one in Cincinnati, with few chances to make splash plays in the early going.
“I know to be patient,” he said. “It was kind of the same situation the past few years. In training camp, I wasn’t getting picks or whatever, but throughout the season, the ball will come my way. It’s all about timing.”
All you have to do to get an idea of how quiet things have been for Stone is look at the Bengals X account, which posts numerous videos and pictures of big moments each day.
There is no mention of Stone since March 16, shortly after he signed.
"Whatever I can do to help this team win, I'm gonna do that."
Get to know safety Geno Stone. ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/DVmpiM5A7G
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) March 16, 2024
Focusing on the scheme more than the splashes has been a priority for Stone.
He said he feels up to speed as the preseason opener, in which head coach Zac Taylor intends to play the starters, approaches Saturday.
“I’ve got most of it down,” Stone said. “There’s some new, different installs each day, but for me, it’s just trying to be as perfect as possible. I still have little mess-ups, maybe one or two a day. You guys may not be able to see it, but for me, there’s little things I want to be perfect on.”
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Passable performances would be a big upgrade for the defense in 2024.
Even with all of the inconsistencies last season, the Bengals finished tied for eighth in the league with 17 interceptions. By fixing the communication issues and adding one of the top ball hawks in Stone, the Cincinnati secondary could be significantly more dangerous terrain to traverse for opposing offenses.
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