Stone posted a telling goodbye on social media as he prepares for free agency.
Change is coming to the Cincinnati Bengals secondary, and veteran safety Geno Stone appears ready to move on.
On Friday night, Stone posted a picture of himself in a Bengals uniform along with a peace sign emoji on social media, which seemed to signal his farewell to Cincinnati after two turbulent seasons with the team.
The post should come as no surprise to anyone who has watched the Bengals struggle defensively this year.
Stone's tenure in Cincinnati has been marked by inconsistency, and his performance on the field left fans frustrated as poor tackling and coverage busts became recurring themes throughout the 2025 season.
A Tumultuous Tenure in Cincinnati
Stone signed a two-year, $14 million contract with the Bengals in March 2024 after leading the AFC with seven interceptions for the Baltimore Ravens the previous season.
The former Iowa product was expected to help fill the void left by Jessie Bates, but things never quite clicked in Cincinnati.
After a rough start to the 2024 campaign, Stone eventually found his footing and finished with four interceptions as the Bengals went on a five-game winning streak to close the season.
However, the 2025 season brought more of the same struggles, and Stone agreed to a pay cut that reduced his salary from $6.475 million to $4.9 million before the year began.
According to Pro-Football-Reference.com, Stone finished the 2025 season with two interceptions and 65 solo tackles in 17 games.
His overall grade from Pro Football Focus ranked him 84th out of 98 safeties, and he led the league in missed tackles for much of the year, which became a major point of frustration for fans who watched opposing players gain extra yardage on plays that should have been stopped.
The Bengals Need Major Defensive Improvements in 2026
Cincinnati finished the 2025 season with a disappointing 6-11 record and ranked 30th in the NFL by allowing 492 points and 28.9 points per game.
The defense struggled to generate pressure on opposing quarterbacks and couldn't make consistent stops when it mattered most, which led to another season outside the playoffs for the third straight year.
Director of Player Personnel Duke Tobin acknowledged the team's defensive shortcomings at his end-of-season press conference and made it clear that improving the pass rush and secondary will be top priorities this offseason.
With the No. 10 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Cincinnati could target a safety like former Ohio State star Caleb Downs or look at free-agent options including Kam Curl, Bryan Cook, and Jaquan Brisker.
Stone's peace sign post may have said goodbye without words, but the message was clear.
After two seasons that never lived up to expectations, both parties appear ready to move on as the Bengals look to rebuild a defense that let down Joe Burrow and the high-powered offense once again.