Baltimore Ravens safety Geno Stone has worked hard to get to where he is in his NFL career. A seventh-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Stone appeared in only two games as a rookie, playing mostly special teams as he was on the field for only two defensive snaps.
In Year 2 of his career, he saw his playing time increase. He played in 15 games, but once again it was most as a special teams player with 282 snaps; Stone had only 218 on defense. But, in 2022, he became a regular part of the Ravens’ defensive game plan.
Stone appeared in all 17 games that season, starting five of them. He saw another major increase in playing time, as he was on the field for 451 defensive snaps and remained an integral part of their special teams unit with 301 snaps.
In 2023, the final year of his rookie contract, it all came together for Stone. He played in all 17 games again, starting 11 of them. He had become a regular on defense, playing 82 percent of the snaps. It was the first time in his career he played a larger percentage of the snaps on defense than special teams, as he was on the field for only 49 percent of those.
He made the most of it, recording seven interceptions this past season with nine passes defended. Heading into free agency for the first time in his career, Stone would love to stay with the Ravens. But, he knows that the NFL is a business and wants to be somewhere where he will be appreciated and valued.
“At the end of the day, Baltimore is always home, but business is business,” he told NFL Network’s Patrick Claybon Tuesday on NFL Total Access. “You know that being in this league this long. I’ve been through it all, especially my rookie year. I just want to be somewhere I’m appreciated, you know, who wants me and for me to be a starter, whatever it may be. I just want my value to be there.” (H/T NFL.com)
Stone already left the Ravens once, as he was waived in December of his rookie season after bouncing around on the practice squad. The Houston Texans claimed him but he didn’t play a snap with the team, returning to Baltimore in 2021.
With so many key players hitting free agency, it will be interesting to see how the Ravens handle things in the coming weeks. Will Stone be a priority for the team? Or can another franchise swoop in and poach him away with a strong offer?
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