Story byChris Roling, Bengals WireSat, January 17, 2026 at 2:54 PM UTC·1 min readWhat should be a pretty exciting time for Cincinnati Bengals fans as the team clutches the 10th overall pick in the upcoming draft is instead sort of…boring?The Bengals’ needs are really obvious: Defense. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAnd that goes hand in hand with some of the obvious points of possible replacement. A variety of defenders, with safety Geno Stone by far being the most notable name, will likely be replaced this offseason. That’s something reflected in PFF’s Mason Cameron shouting out Stone as a point of major upgrade necessity for the Bengals this offseason:“Safety Geno Stone has struggled at times, ranking in the 23rd percentile in PFF coverage grade (47.2) at the position over the past two seasons. With Stone’s contract set to expire, upgrading the safety spot is a clear priority to stabilize the secondary moving forward.”RELATED: Duke Tobin's anticipated Bengals address underwhelmsAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBengals coaches have talked extremely highly of Stone’s role in the defense over the last month or so.