Evaluating how 3 new additions have performed for Bengals this season

The 2024 Bengals season has already been filled with extreme highs and lows. For one thing, Joe Burrow has been playing some of his best football and his numbers so far this season have been turning heads, especially after his wrist injury last year. The wide receivers on this team have also been solid so far this season. Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Andrei Iosivas have all made things happen.

But, as good as this offense has been, you wouldn’t necessarily know it by looking at their season record. Any good, explosive plays by the offense tend to be washed away by the poor execution of the Bengals defense. Some “easy” games on this Bengals schedule have already been lost when they could have very easily been won.

However, Cincinnati's new additions have been largely solid this season so far, and have contributed to some team success. So, let’s analyze two new 2024 Bengals players who have already paid off and done well, and one who so far hasn’t. 

Paid Off: Mike Gesicki, Tight end

Mike Gesicki has proven game after game that he has been a smart pick up, and he's definitely worth the money he is getting from his one-year contract. Gesicki has become a critical piece of the offense and has delivered big plays when needed. 

Back in Week 2 against the Chiefs, the Bengals decided to go for it on a fourth-and-four in the first quarter, and a 37-yard catch from Gesicki put the Bengals in prime scoring position. While this explosive play ended up resulting in just a 22-yard field goal, points are points, and the Bengals led 3-0 at that point. Gesicki also had an important catch for 16 yards and a first-and-goal in Week 3 against the Commanders. Again, that play again resulted in a field goal, but it was positive production nonetheless.

If Gesicki can continue to be a consistent player and make plays for this offense, then the team should be interested in keeping him around for longer than a single season. Of all of the 2024 new player additions, Gesicki has proven so far to be one of the best, if not the best. 

Hasn't Paid Off: Geno Stone, Safety

When it was revealed that former Raven Geno Stone was going to become a Bengal, fans were excited for the new addition. The thought was that Stone would be an important asset for the defense after some key losses in recent years. It was an added bonus that Stone was a Raven previously and the Bengals were able to steal him away from a division rival. However so far, Stone has not delivered for this defense as expected.

The defense has struggled collectively this season, and arguably, the combinations on the field haven’t been working and have cost the team yards and even games. As of yet, Stone really hasn’t had huge plays to his name in Cincinnati. Sure, he has a decent number of solo tackles, but based on his season last year, fans were expecting more of a defensive playmaker. After all, he led the entire AFC in interceptions last season.

Hopefully Stone can turn into a key asset that can help boost the Bengals defense, but he isn’t there currently, so this new addition has yet to pay off. 

Paid Off: Zack Moss, Running back

Out of all of the new 2024 player additions, Zack Moss had the most to prove, and arguably was under the most pressure to succeed. Joe Mixon’s departure to Houston was big news, and it left large shoes to fill for the running back position. Luckily, Moss has fit in well in Cincinnati and has paired well with Chase Brown. Both guys have been able to deliver in the run game, albeit with relatively limited opportunity.

Moss was able to score the first touchdown of the regular season against the Patriots in the third quarter of Week 1, and he also helped contribute to the team’s first win which came in Week 4 against the Panthers. In that game, Moss was able to score a touchdown on a third-and-goal to put the Bengals up 21-14 in the second quarter. On the season, he has 350 yards from scrimmage and three total touchdowns. That's decent value considering the two-year, $8 million deal he signed in Cincinnati.

Brown has also played very well for the Bengals, but his positive production doesn't mean that Moss hasn't been a positive addition, too. On the contrary, Moss has proven to be a consistent asset for the offense so far, and has been one of the 2024 new additions that has paid off.  Moving forward, the Bengals would probably benefit from leaning into the ground game a bit more.