The Cincinnati Bengals have ushered in a bit of a youth movement on the offensive side of the ball. However, it appears they are still well-aware of defensive tackle Geno Atkins' status as the anchor on defense.
This offseason has seen a bevy of the NFL's elite get their lucrative payday. Atkins has now gotten in on the action after reportedly signing a four-year extension to stay in Cincinnati, via SportsTrust Advisors:
Pat Dye, Jr. of SportsTrust has negotiated a 4-year extension for @GenoSacks with the @Bengals. 💰 #LegendsLiveHere #GenoSacks #SeizeTheDEY pic.twitter.com/avG64BZkKB
— SportsTrust Advisors (@_SportsTrust) August 28, 2018
ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter confirmed the Atkins report while adding that the Bengals also signed a three-year extension with defensive end Carlos Dunlap.
Bengals also agreed with DT Geno Atkins on four-year extension, per his agent. So Atkins and Dunlap both locked in. https://t.co/MAKpaWlzK3
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 28, 2018
Needless to say, these are some major moves from the Bengals. Atkins and Dunlap have helped transform Cincinnati's defensive line into one of the most formidable units in the NFL.
Atkins has long been the gold standard for interior lineman in the NFL. The six-time Pro Bowler is coming off another stellar year after finishing the 2017 campaign with 46 tackles and 9.0 sacks. It was the third straight year he managed to register at least 9.0 sacks. It was vital that the team kept him in Cincinnati for the foreseeable future.
One of the most interesting aspects is the kind of impact it will have on negotiations throughout the league. The Bengals managed to reach a deal with their best defensive player before the Los Angeles Rams did. The Rams and defensive tackle Aaron Donald have been deadlocked in negotiations for quite some time now. Although Donald's price tag figures to be much more expensive, it should be expected considering he is in the prime of his career as opposed to the veteran Atkins.
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