The Bengals’ safety depth will be tested during the final weeks of the offseason. Geno Stone exited the team’s preseason opener with what has been termed a soft tissue injury. 
On Saturday, head coach Zac Taylor said (via The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr.) Stone is week-to-week. Depending on how his recovery process fares, missed time during the regular season could be in store as a result. That would leave the Bengals thin in the secondary.
Stone – who agreed to a pay cut in May – is on track to handle starting duties in 2025 alongside Jordan Battle (who has yet to log a defensive snap share above 48% during his two seasons in the NFL). Set to play his sixth season in the league, Stone started every game with Cincinnati last year; he notched a career-high 81 tackles to go along with four interceptions in 2024.
With Stone at least set to miss practice time in the near future, Cincinnati’s backups at the safety spot will receive an extended evaluation. 2024 seventh-round pick Daijahn Anthony and Tycen Anderson (taken in the fifth round in 2022) are next in line on the depth chart. Their performances in the coming days will be key in determining if an outside addition is deemed necessary.
“That’s a group that we’re looking to make sure we’re deep enough there,” Taylor said (via Dehner) when speaking about the Bengals’ remaining healthy safeties. “So I think it’s a good chance to really see where they’re at in their development… Those are guys that these next six practices will be really good for.”
Improving against the pass is a major priority for the Bengals in 2025, so the play of their secondary will be critical. Stone is a pending free agent, and a strong showing this season would help his market value next spring. That will of course depend on his ability to return to action in time for Week 1, something which will be worth monitoring.
Justin Simmons, Jordan Poyer and Vonn Bell – who returned to Cincinnati on a one-year pact for 2024 – are among the safeties still unsigned at this point. The Bengals currently have nearly $29MM in cap space, so if an addition is to be pursued in the wake of Stone’s injury, finances will not be an issue.
Money is always at issue for the Brown family. If they sign someone, that is less money they are stuffing into their pockets.