CINCINNATI — Bengals safety Geno Stone had a couple of reasons to accept a restructured contract that featured a pay cut.
For starters, he was able to get additional guaranteed money in the second and final year of the contract he signed with the club last offseason. But by reducing his salary this year, he also gives Cincinnati extra dollars to work with as the team continues to work toward a potential contract extension for star defensive end Trey Hendrickson.
“That’s a guy we really want, so that’s something I was willing to do for the team,” Stone said after Tuesday’s voluntary workout.
News of the restructured deal was first reported on Tuesday by OverTheCap. In the new deal, Stone’s salary was cut by $1.58 million for the upcoming season. However, $1.5 million of this year’s salary will be guaranteed.
That went into the calculus of why Stone agreed to the amended contract. And while the team never told him its specific plans, it wasn’t hard to understand why the Bengals approached him about the situation.
“If you’re taking a pay cut, they’re clearing their space for a reason,” Stone said. “I don’t know what they’re doing. They never told me. I didn’t ask. At the end of the day, they’re doing what they need to do that’s best for the team.”
Hendrickson, a four-time Pro Bowler who led the NFL in sacks last season and was an All-Pro selection, requested the ability to seek a trade earlier in the offseason in hopes of securing a long-term deal. He was not in attendance Tuesday at the team’s voluntary offseason workout.
Cincinnati granted the request before free agency started in March. But after free agency and April’s NFL draft, Hendrickson remains on the roster. Hendrickson, 30, has one year remaining on an extension he signed in 2023. However, he is set to earn $15.8 million in salary this season. To put that in perspective, Houston Texans defensive end Danielle Hunter signed a one-year contract extension this offseason worth $35.6 million.
By reworking his deal with the Bengals, Stone can turn his attention to solidifying his play after a shaky first year in Cincinnati.
After a 2024 season in which the Bengals’ defense struggled and the team missed the playoffs, Stone wondered if he would return for the final year of his deal.
“Honestly, I was upset with myself a lot last year, just the way my play was early in the year. You know,” Stone said on Tuesday. “I got put in situations I would say I really never had in my career like that.
“And that had nothing to do with anyone else. It’s just me. So that was a big learning point for me in my career, and I feel like I’m ready to bounce back from that.”
But his stance within the building was solidified around the NFL scouting combine in late February. Stone said he was able to sit down with new defensive coordinator Al Golden and the coaching staff in which the vision for his upcoming season was relayed. At the NFL annual meeting in Florida in late March, Bengals coach Zac Taylor gave Stone a genuine vote of confidence.
“I like where Geno’s headed,” Taylor said. “There’s a reason we brought him in. I’m excited for his future.”
The whole defense is looking to rebound and help the Bengals get back to the playoffs after missing the postseason the past two seasons. Stone knows how important it would be to have Hendrickson back in the fold.
“As a safety, you want a pass rusher that makes the quarterback get the ball out fast or makes the quarterback throw the ball in the wrong spot so you can go make plays,” Stone said. “He’s obviously either the top [defensive] end or one of the best in the league. You want that on your team.”
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