Buffalo, NY – The Buffalo Bills are continuing to reshape their defensive secondary, agreeing to terms with safety Geno Stone on a one-year deal, sources confirmed Friday. The move comes a day after the Bills added veteran safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, signaling a clear intent to address vulnerabilities in the defensive backfield heading into the 2026 season.
The Bills have been actively rebuilding their safety corps this offseason, allowing Jordan Poyer, Damar Hamlin, and Darnell Savage to enter free agency. Taylor Rapp, who started at safety in Week 1 of the 2025 season, was released in a cost-cutting move prior to the start of the new league year. The addition of Stone, alongside Gardner-Johnson, aims to fill those gaps and provide competition and depth at the position.
Stone, 26, joins the Bills after two seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals. He established a career-high with 104 tackles last season, finishing third on the Bengals in that category. The signing was first reported by ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg and confirmed by multiple sources.
Initially, Stone signed a two-year contract with the Bengals worth $7 million annually. However, that deal was later restructured to reduce his salary by $1.5 million, reflecting the team’s evolving needs and financial considerations.
While Stone’s 2025 season with Cincinnati was marked by inconsistency, he demonstrated an ability to impact the Bengals’ defensive performance in the latter half of the year. Through the first nine weeks, the Bengals struggled against the run, ranking last in the NFL in Defensive Expected Points Added (EPA) on rushing plays, according to ESPN Research. However, Stone’s play contributed to a noticeable improvement in the final eight games, as Cincinnati climbed to 14th in the league in the same metric.
Stone entered the NFL as a seventh-round pick by the Baltimore Ravens in the 2020 draft. Over six seasons, he has accumulated 312 tackles and 14 interceptions, showcasing his potential as a ball-hawking safety. His experience and versatility are expected to be valuable assets for the Bills’ defense.
The Bills’ pursuit of Stone and Gardner-Johnson highlights their commitment to upgrading a secondary that faced challenges in the 2025 season. The team will be looking for both players to contribute immediately and provide stability to a position group undergoing significant change. The competition at safety during training camp is expected to be fierce, with several players vying for starting roles.
The Bengals, meanwhile, will look to fill the void left by Stone’s departure. Cincinnati has focused on bolstering its pass rush during free agency, reportedly agreeing to terms with several defensive players, including a deal with Carolina for Jaelan Phillips. The team is aiming to improve its overall defensive pressure and create more opportunities for turnovers.
NFL journalist Jordan Schultz was the first to report Stone’s agreement with the Bills. Ben Baby of ESPN also contributed to the reporting.
What’s Next: The Bills will continue to evaluate potential additions through the draft and remaining free agency period. The team’s focus will likely shift to addressing needs at other positions, such as linebacker and defensive tackle, as they prepare for the 2026 season. The Bills’ offseason program is scheduled to begin in April, providing an opportunity for the new players to integrate into the team’s system.
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