After signing nine free agents this offseason — five from different teams — the Cincinnati Bengals have several new players to get to know.
Cincinnati Bengals News Today
Get To Know Geno Stone
One player that Bengals fans may have some familiarity with is former Baltimore Ravens safety Geno Stone. Stone signed with Cincinnati on a two-year, $14 million deal with total guarantees of $6 million on a $3 million signing bonus and an average salary of $7 million, per Spotrac.
Stone was drafted by Baltimore with the 219th overall selection in 2020. In four seasons, he’s made 19 starts in 51 career games with 127 total tackles (93 solo), a tackle for loss, a quarterback hit, 11 pass deflections, eight interceptions returned for 101 yards, one forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.
Pro Football Network’s Lorenzo Reyna wrote about Stone’s addition to Cincinnati.
“But he raised his game another notch in 2023,” Reyna wrote. “Outside of Burrow, the other notable star quarterbacks he picked off were Tua Tagovailoa of the Miami Dolphins, Jared Goff of the Detroit Lions, and Geno Smith of the Seattle Seahawks. That’s four different Pro Bowl passers Stone intercepted.
“When Stone wasn’t frustrating QBs, he was busy improving his tackle numbers each season. In 2021, he collected 21 tackles with 15 solo stops. But those numbers rose to 38 tackles, including 34 solo, in 2022. Then, in 2023, Stone produced 68 tackles, including 44 individual stops.”
Get To Know New Bengals RB Zack Moss
Reyna also discussed the addition of running back Zack Moss, who is set to take over for the departed Joe Mixon.
“[Zack] Moss even brings a receiving element to the Bengals,” Reyna wrote. “He’s caught 75 career passes for 523 yards and has scored four times in the passing game. He went on to reel in a career-best of 27 catches for 192 yards and scored twice.
“While Mixon has put together the more decorated career, Moss is coming off a seven-touchdown campaign. This signing points to Cincinnati potentially adding to the RB room via the NFL Draft. Nevertheless, Moss adds a versatile veteran element to the Bengals’ backfield.”
Between the Buffalo Bills and Indianapolis Colts, Moss has 484 carries for 2,076 yards (4.3 yards per carry) and 14 touchdowns. He’s also been a solid receiving threat with 75 catches for 523 yards and four touchdowns in his five-year career.
Get To Know Tight End Mike Gesicki
Reyna also profiled the addition of tight end Mike Gesicki on a one-year, $2.5 million deal. Gesicki has 260 catches for 2,861 yards and 20 touchdown receptions in his six-year career out of Penn State.
“As a Patriot, Gesicki only grabbed 29 receptions for 244 yards and averaged a career-low 8.4 yards per catch,” Reyna wrote. “He crossed the goal line only twice.
“Gesicki may not be the most intriguing or dominating TE in this free agency class. But he’s giving Joe Burrow and company some needed length and a strong red-zone presence. Plus, he’s adding veteran expertise in the TE room.”
OT Trent Brown Discusses ‘Plug-and-Play’ Situation With Cincinnati
Trent Brown has won a Super Bowl and is a Pro Bowler. Now, he has the opportunity to form one of the largest pair of bookends at tackle in NFL history with Orlando Brown Jr. Standing in at 6-foot-8, 370 pounds, Brown is expecting to immediately slot into the right tackle spot, according to Pro Football Network’s Jay Morrison.
The details of Brown’s contract have yet to be released, but the expectation is that he plays a pivotal role in protecting Burrow and paves the way for the aforementioned Moss in the running game.