Cincinnati Bengals Geno Stone takes a pay cut

Cincinnati Bengals Starting Safety Agrees To Pay Cut For 2025 Season

Matt Brown

The Cincinnati Bengals will have to get used to pinching pennies for the foreseeable future. After inking Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to massive deals in the offseason, the team has very little wiggle room left. Quarterback Joe Burrow is also on a max contract, further complicating the salary cap for the team. As the franchise attempts to get back to the Super Bowl, they are trying to find money wherever they can. Starting safety Geno Stone has agreed to a pay cut for the 2025 season, giving the team more flexibility.

Cincinnati Bengals’ Geno Stone Takes A Pay Cut

Geno Stone was set to make $6.475 million this year but has agreed to a pay cut. His new salary for 2025 will be $4.9 million. While the move doesn’t create a massive amount of space in the salary cap, every little bit counts, especially with the Trey Hendrickson situation still unresolved. It remains to be seen whether this is to free up space for an extension or whether it is to add depth to the roster.

Stone didn’t have a fabulous year in 2024, but the defense as a unit struggled to stop anyone. The team picked him up from the Ravens last year after he had seven interceptions. He still had four last year but struggled in coverage, being one of the lower-rated safeties in the league. The Cincinnati Bengals hope he can prove he is worth a large contract in 2025 and help lead the defense to a bounce-back year.

2025 Outlook

There are very few questions about the Cincinnati Bengals’ offense. The trio of Burrow, Chase, and Higgins is one of the best in the league. Chase won the Triple Crown last year and looks to follow it up with another strong 2025 campaign. The questions are on defense. Despite having the NFL’s sack leader (Hendrickson) on the team, the unit couldn’t stop opposing offenses, leading to some heartbreaking losses. They changed defensive coordinators and drafted some young talent, but overall, the unit simply has to play better.

The window to compete is now. Their young players are in their prime, and in the NFL, nothing lasts forever. However, the AFC is loaded with quality teams. The Kansas City Chiefs are always looming with the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens also setting themselves up as clear contenders. This doesn’t count the plethora of teams who have quality rosters and could compete for the AFC crown. They have gone all-in on the offense and hope the defense improves in 2025.

Final Thoughts

The Cincinnati Bengals narrowly missed the playoffs last year. Even if the defense can be mediocre, the team should be in the mix for a playoff spot. Can the Bengals get back to the playoffs in 2025?

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