After settling in Baltimore, Geno Stone developed into a full-time playmaker in the secondary for the Ravens at safety.
As he approaches free agency, the 24-year-old wants to avoid having to relocate.
“Business is business, but at the end of the day, Baltimore is home,” he said to NFL Network’s Patrick Claybon on Tuesday on NFL Total Access. “After all, you’ve been in this league for this long. I’ve experienced everything, particularly my first year. All I want is to be recognized and valued in whatever capacity I may be able to contribute. I just want my worth to be acknowledged.”
The Iowa native was selected by the Ravens in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He was up and down the team’s practice squad throughout his rookie campaign, starting two games, spending time on the reserve/COVID-19 list, and finally being cut in December. Stone was claimed by Houston, although he never saw action for the Texans.
In 2021, Stone made a comeback to the Ravens, where he was a special teamer and reserve. He saw a rise in responsibility and made seven starts in 2022. After going full-time in 2023, he played in 11 games with 68 tackles from his safety position, nine passes defended, and seven interceptions.
Stone has made just about $5 million in four seasons. He might make a lot of money as he approaches free agency. Come March, there will be more well-known players available—many scouts believe that seventh-round picks seldom outgrow their pre-draft status—but Stone might be worth a look, especially for teams that prefer to use more three-safety looks. Stone may have choices because Mike Macdonald, his previous coordinator, is currently the head coach in Seattle.
Stone attributed his ability to stay focused on the task at hand to his former Ravens teammate Anthony Levine, an undrafted free agent who, like Stone, had to overcome his draft status in order to carve out an NFL career.
“I just had great vets around me really,” he stated. Anthony Levine was a guy who lived next to me every day and gave me advice on what to do. I only kind of did as he did. His lead. I had a man like that to rely on because he had been in the league for twelve years. I could mention other folks, like Chuck Clark, but Anthony Levine was probably the primary one. The man who had essentially gone through the same thing as me, just kind of hanging out with him and asking him questions every day. One day, he told me, ‘You’re going to succeed eventually. Just ensure that you are completing
Among the many important free agents the Ravens have on the defensive side of the ball are players like Patrick Queen, Stone, Justin Madubuike, and Jadeveon Clowney. Whether Stone stays in Baltimore or moves on to something new will depend on how the front management ranks those pending free agents.
