ESPN Picks Bengals Safety Geno Stone as 2024 X-Factor

CINCINNATI — ESPN's Ben Solak dropped his 2024 season X-Factors for all 32 NFL teams and a Cincinnati safety got the crown: Geno Stone.

Cincinnati signed him this offseason after a career-best season that included seven interceptions (second-most in the NFL).

"Losing Jessie Bates in 2023 free agency was a crippling blow to the Bengals," Solak wrote. "Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, famous for his success against elite AFC quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen, runs a complex defense. The sort of defense that must be quarterbacked by a smart, highly communicative safety -- ideally, a pair of them. When that duo was Bates and Vonn Bell, this defense sang. But when both left last year, Cincinnati gave up more explosive plays than any other team in the league. Bell is back, so the Bengals can feel good about the strong safety spot.

"But Bates is still gone, and in his place, the team signed Stone, who was thrust into the starting role for an injured Marcus Williams in Baltimore last season and hauled in seven interceptions from his deep safety spot. Stone was known in Baltimore for his intelligence and vision, exactly what this defense needs to recover its previous form. He's not the sideline-to-sideline speedster Bates was, but if he can discourage downfield shots and coordinate the rest of the secondary in Anarumo's various zones, Cincinnati should bounce right back to its playoff-caliber defense."

The early returns have been encouraging with praise for that group and Stone flowing from the coaching staff all training camp.

That room stayed relatively healthy entering the season and got a full allotment of reps to gel ahead of the Patriots matchup.

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