The Buffalo Bills’ latest defensive free agent signing was bringing in safety Geno Stone, who will join the Bills from the Cincinnati Bengals. Stone started his career with the Baltimore Ravens and after rising as one of the more underrated safeties in the league, he signed with the Bengals two years ago.
Stone was the third player signed to be added to this secondary under Jim Leonhard. The Bills also signed Dee Alford and C.J. Gardner-Johnson, and adding someone like Stone gives them valuable depth in the secondary.
Buffalo has officially signed Stone to his one-year deal and shortly after signing, Stone spoke with the media. According to Bills reporter Maddy Glab, Stone told the media the Bills “were attractive because he wanted to get back to a winning culture.” Glab also said that Stone told the media that his agent had also represented former Bills safety Micah Hyde and that there were conversations between Stone and Hyde.
#Bills S Geno Stone says the Bills were attractive because he wanted to get back to a winning culture…Stone also says his agent repped Micah Hyde so he’s had conversations with Hyde before…both Hyde and Stone also went to Iowa
— Maddy Glab (@MadGlab) March 16, 2026
Geno Stone reveals factors that led to signing with Bills
Connections are great to have for sure. It also helps that the Bills have a culture where they are looking to win now especially when you look at who the quarterback is. Hyde was and is beloved in Buffalo and he was part of a dynamic safety duo with Jordan Poyer that was arguably the best in the NFL at one point.
Coming from the AFC North, Stone has 14 career interceptions and he’s coming off his first 100+ total tackle seasons with the Bengals. Being part of that Cincinnati defense, no one outside of Trey Hendrickson had any kind of real success because it was historically bad at one point.
The good news is that the Bills don’t need Stone to be an immediate starter. He should definitely get his chance at becoming one, but the likelihood is that the safety duo will be Cole Bishop and C.J. Gardner-Johnson. However, Stone would be a great rotational player and backup that the Bills could utilize.
Stone being added brings in more stability to this backend of the defense and it is going to be very interesting to see how everything plays out in the summer leading up to the regular season. Stone definitely has a great shot at making the roster and fans will want to keep an eye on him.
I’m not saying that he will become Buffalo’s best defender, but now he will be part of a pass defense that has always been solid for the last couple of years. Seeing what he can do under Jim Leonhard will be a sight to see.