Bills’ Latest Free Agent Signing Signals New Era for the Bengals

A new era of Bengals football is officially here.

Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Al Golden coaches players during training camp, Wednesday, July 23, 2025, at the Kettering Health Bengals Practice Fields in Downtown Cincinnati. | Frank Bowen IV/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

CINCINNATI — Former Bengals safety Geno Stone agreed to a one-year deal with the Buffalo Bills on Friday according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz.

Stone spent the past two seasons in Cincinnati. He signed a two-year contract with the Bengals in 2024.

Despite being targeted by the Bengals in free agency, the veteran struggled in his two seasons. Stone missed tackles, had effort issues, but started every game (34) in his two years with the team. He finished with 185 tackles and six interceptions.

Now he's Buffalo bound and the Bengals are entering a new era.

New Era

Bengals safety Bryan Cook speaks to the media during a press conference at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Thursday, March 12, 2026. | Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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The Bengals' secondary has struggled in each of the past three seasons. Their struggles started when Jessie Bates left in free agency. Cincinnati is hoping Bryan Cook can solve their issues.

Cook is a Cincinnati native. The two-time Super Bowl champion is well aware of the Bengals' struggles at safety.

"My friends, they're from here, obviously, and they're Bengals fans. So they let me know," Cook said. "But that's not a knock. I don't want to do that on anybody else's skillset. Anything can happen within a year. We've seen teams coming from being the worst in one category and the best in this category. I think it's more a technique thing. I do have my tablet, so I can go back and watch. But I'll be more watching to see how can I help them become better. I understand it's been a struggle, but I don't even know why it was a struggle, if that makes sense. I want to know why, rather than just try to fix something when I don't know what caused it."

The Stone era is over and the Bengals are banking on Cook to bring stability to the secondary. He's one of the best tackling safeties in the NFL. That's an area that Stone struggled in for most of his Cincinnati tenure. Now both parties get to turn the page.

The Bengals do not play the Bills during the 2026 regular season.

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