Geno

Stone

Stone was listed as week-to-week last weekend after dealing with an unspecified soft tissue injury. Instead, the veteran safety missed less than a full week of practice and was spotted on the field Friday with the rest of the team. Stone totaled 81 tackles and four interceptions for the Bengals last season and signed a restructured deal this offseason. Barring any setbacks, it sounds like he’ll be good to go for Week 1 when the Bengals take on the Browns.

It’s a significant injury for a Bengals team that did nothing to address a general lack of depth in the secondary this offseason, particularly considering how much they struggled in 2024. The Bengals could be forced to explore a potential free agent signing, with the clearest fit being former Falcons and Broncos safety Justin Simmons. Simmons remains a free agent after reportedly seeking to play for a contender.

They’ll save $1.58 million against the salary cap after getting a pay cut from their starting safety. After two stellar years in Baltimore, Stone declined precipitously in 2024. His PFF coverage grade dropped from 85.3 in 2023 to 53.7 last year. He’ll be looking for a bounceback season under new defensive coordinator Al Golden in 2025.

Hubbard was a surprise addition to the Bengals’ injury report. The veteran pass rusher has played in every game for the team this season and has 33 tackles and two sacks on the year. We’ll have a better sense of his Week 9 availability when Friday’s injury report is released. Wide receiver Charlie Jones (groin) and safety Geno Stone (shin) were also added to Thursday’s report and listed as limited.

It remains to be seen whether Stone will undergo an MRI for further diagnosis but the X-ray results are good news. We will report back as soon as possible with relevant updates.

Stone collided with fellow safety Vonn Bell late in the fourth quarter of the Bengals’ Week 7 game against the Browns. Both safeties went for a Jameis Winston end zone throw, preventing the completion but colliding with each other. Stone’s leg was put in an air cast and he was carted off. It is a big blow to the back end of Cincy’s defense; Stone had an interception on the day and the defense was just starting to get healthy. Jordan Battle came in for Stone.

Stone’s deal is a two-year deal reportedly worth $15 million and includes a $6 million signing bonus per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. A former seventh-round draft pick of the Ravens in 2020, Stone finally broke out in 2023. The veteran safety totaled a career-high 68 tackles last season and also notched seven interceptions, which was good for the second-most in the league. The short-term deal suggests Stone could be in for a big payday if he manages to out-play this deal next season.

Zeitler and the Ravens didn’t reach an agreement ahead of Monday’s deadline. Now set to hit free agency, the veteran guard, who started all 47 games he appeared in for the Ravens since 2021, should have a strong free agent market come next month. Zeitler turns 34 next month and earned a Pro Bowl nod for his 2023 efforts and earned a PFF blocking grade of 71.6. In addition to Zeitler, RB Gus Edwards, CB Rock Ya-Sin, and S Geno Stone are also set to hit free agency after failing to land new deals prior to the deadline. As a result, the Ravens will carry $8.308 million in dead cap into next season.

Clowney missed Wednesday’s practice with an illness but was never a real threat to miss Sunday’s game against the Titans. He and Geno Stone (hamstring) both returned to practice on Thursday, while Odafe Oweh (ankle) remained sidelined. With the majority of their starters healthy, the Ravens should be good to go for their Week 6 tilt with the Titans.

He’ll likely be back on a contract lower than the low tender of $2.6 million. It’s possible Stone sees some increased run with Chuck Clark gone, and he did start seven games last season. Early indications are that the Ravens seem more committed to getting Kyle Hamilton time at safety this year.