By: Jake Rajala

The Cincinnati Bengals didn’t take the foot off the gas pedal this off-season — as they brought in numerous stud offensive linemen (La’el Collins, Alex Cappa) for their offense featuring an unearthly QB-WR duo. It wouldn’t be a complete surprise if the desperate Super Bowl aimed squad carrying a modest $15 million in cap space added one or two more horses in free agency. With that enunciated, I’m going to untwine three dream targets for the Bengals right now.

Ndamukong Suh

The Raiders have been rumored to be a landing spot for the fearless Ndamukong Suh. I believe he should feel more intrigued about joining the reigning Super Bowl champions. He could play next to Trey Hendrickson while having a strong chance of winning his second Super Bowl ring. If Cincy doesn’t make a poetic reunion with Geno Atkins, perhaps they will swing big for the former Bucs DT that hasn’t lost a step in recent memory (12 sacks in the past two seasons combined).

Chris Harris Jr.

The free-agent CB Chris Harris Jr. may be the cherry on top for the Bengals defense. I believe it was an underrated move to bring back Eli Apple, but the Bengals still don’t carry a strong overall CB group. He could be a potential upgrade over Apple or a strong CB3. The talented slot corner Harris Jr. would have likely helped cover the slot machine Cooper Kupp in Super Bowl LVI, to say the least.

Xavier Rhodes

The CB free agent pool doesn’t showcase talent like Stephon Gilmore, but there are still modest, physical CBs that can help the Bengals defense. Xavier Rhodes could certainly be a bully for the Bengals defense on the outside. Rhodes and Apple both have very similar skill sets, but Rhodes (31) is five years older than Apple (26). Rhodes was a Top-10 CB per PFF in 2020, but he wasn’t quite as potent in 2021. Nonetheless, he would help the Bengals questionable CB group become more sturdy moving forward.

The post 3 dream targets for the Bengals right now appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jake Rajala

The monster 2021 free agent signing Trey Hendrickson was the third-best pass rusher in the AFC last season, as he unleashed 14 sacks. Nonetheless, I believe there are a few FA faces that could still help the Bengals pass rush. I’m going to untwine three pass rushers available that could help the 11th best defense in sacks last season transform into a Top-5 defense in sacks next season.

Carlos Dunlap

“Hello Darkness, my old friend”

Carlos Dunlap is still a very good football player and he proved his ability last season via his 8.5 sacks. Dunlap has familiarity with Cincinnati and they are certainly a team that can help win a Super Bowl ring. He is also arguably the best pass rusher on the FA market after Clowney re-signed with the Browns. If he doesn’t ink a contract with the Seahawks, I would love to witness his return to Cincy.

Geno Atkins

It may seem like Geno Atkins fell off the face of the earth, but his former teammates have expressed their wishes for him to return. Jessie Bates reportedly texted Atkins, “You want to go play for us now” back in January. The second Bengal on this list could also wreak havoc inside while allowing Sam Hubbard to develop as the best DE2 on this team.

Justin Houston

Justin Houston might be 33 years old, but he has been a quality football player over the past three seasons (11 sacks in 2019, 8 sacks in 2020, and 4.5 sacks in 2021). It’s clear that Houston wants to ride off into the sunset on a championship-caliber team. If he doesn’t start over Hubbard, he would be an excellent rotational DE and veteran presence for the Bengals defense.

The post 3 free agent pass rusher targets for the Cincinnati Bengals appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jake Rajala

In the 2010 NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals made one of the best fourth draft picks in NFL history in Geno Atkins. The former Georgia Bulldog blossomed into an absolute manic for the Bengals, as he made eight Pro Bowl selections and two All-Pro teams for Cincy. Atkins poetically stayed with the Bengals up until 2020 and he hasn’t played in the NFL since 2020.

Regardless of Atkins’s decision to keep competing in-between the white lines, he has unveiled a very superb career. With that said, there is a pivotal question on the mind of many Bengals fans and NFL critics: Is Atkins headed to Canton?

I believe one of the most fascinating, logical comparisons for Atkins is none other than Ndamukong Suh. They both dominated in the same decade and both unveiled top-tier success on a consistent basis. I feel comfortable that Suh (three All-Pro teams, five Pro Bowl selections, SB champion) is HOF-bound.

Suh was able to garner a shiny SB ring, while Atkins has failed to win a Super Bowl. The former Lions DT also has one more All-Pro season than Atkins. Although, Atkins was definitely able to separate himself from Suh in the Pro Bowl category, as Atkins has three more PB seasons than Suh.

He does have more career sacks than Suh, but Suh has more TFLs and QB hits in his career. I’d still say that their resume is similar and it’s clear that NFL critics felt the same way — as both mythical DTs were selected to the 2010 decade team.

Nonetheless, there have been Super Bowl-less DTs with similar production as Atkins, and they have struggled to make it into Canton. For example, Michael Dean Perry made six Pro Bowl selections, two All-Pro teams, won zero Super Bowls, and he hasn’t been inducted into Canton.

Atkins does have a couple of more PB selections than Perry, but they have remarkably similar honors. I would say Atkins is in line behind Perry for football heaven. Atkins is certainly a borderline HOF player and a Bengals legend, but I don’t believe he is on the path to being a HOF player. If he can return to the Bengals and win a SB ring, I definitely feel Atkins is in the same HOF boat as Suh.

The post Is Geno Atkins a future Hall of Famer? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jeremy Trottier

The NFL offseason has primarily ended, at least in terms of the best players that were available on the market this year.  With that in mind, there are still quite a few capable players left to be signed that could bring a solid presence to the teams that sign them.  We should see some of these players being signed as the roster cuts get closer to 53, and as the first week looms closer, as injuries are bound to happen.  In this article, I will be going over the five most interesting free agents remaining, as well as what they bring to an NFL franchise.

Jurrell Casey ”“ DT

First up we have the five-time pro bowl DT/DE in Jurrell Casey, who spent the greater part of a decade with the Tennessee Titans before a season in 2020-2021 with the Denver Broncos.  Casey’s main contribution to any team would be his capability to get into the backfield and bring down the QB and ball carrier with extreme force.  In his career, he has had 51 sacks and 85 tackles for loss, with 10.5 sacks in a season being his career-high and 13 TFL in another season.

K.J. Wright ”“ OLB

This may be the most surprising remaining free agent to me, as K.J. Wright has performed at an extremely high level over the past few seasons.  In 2020, he had 11 TFL, 86 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, 10 passes deflected, and an interception, which by his standards is slightly low but for league standards is extremely high quality.  If signed, he will provide strength to get into the backfield and blow up running plays, as well as his ability to make plays in coverage, seen by his double-digit pass deflections in 2020 and in 2019 (10 and 11 respectively).

Russell Okung ”“ LT

Moving to the other side of the ball, we have a veteran tackle in Russell Okung.  Okung has started a combined 13 games in the last two seasons, which is not the best, however, he started 15 games in 2018 and 15 in 2017, and has performed extremely well in the past few years.  He has not given up more than 3 sacks since 2016, when he gave up 4, as he started in almost every single play that season (99% of snaps).  He still has what it takes to be a competent offensive lineman, and would be a great addition to teams in need of an offensive lineman.

Steven Sims ”“ WR

Onto the skill positions, we have a recent cut by the Washington Football Team in Steven Sims.  Some may look at his stats and say “why is he even on this list, he barely had 300 yards in a season?”.  This addition to the list is purely on the mindset of potential, as Sims has heaps of it, however, he has not been utilized much by Washington in his two seasons there.  At only 24 years of age entering this season, his versatility across the boards is phenomenal.  He can kick return and punt return at a high level, having the most kick returns in the league in 2019 and a 91-yard return touchdown.  He is also able to rush the ball when given the chance, averaging 9.4 YPA on 9 attempts.  Overall, he has potential to make a roster and compete for starting receiver snaps.

Geno Atkins ”“ DT/DE

Finally, we have a player many have forgotten about after last season, in Geno Atkins.  Something to keep in mind is the lack of stats from Atkins last year is both due to his lack of games played (8 played, 0 started) as well as the Bengals moving him out of position.  If moved back to DT and played there normally, he should be a very good addition to any front seven.   In 2014-2019, he made the pro-bowl every year and was an all-pro in 2015.  He had double digit QB hits In every year since 2015, and often went into the 20s in that category, as well as between nine and eleven sacks every year from 2015-2019.  He has juice left in the tank, I have no doubt of this.  He just needs a chance to play at his natural position.

The post Best NFL free agents left on the market appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jeremy Trottier

The 2021 offseason has been relatively interesting so far, with a huge deal of the free agents gone at this point.  With that said, there are still some quality signings out there to be made, and will likely happen as we get closer to training camps in the coming weeks.  Geno Atkins is one of the remaining free agents who is intriguing, as his landing spot is almost completely up in the air, and just depends on team needs come September.  In this article, I will be going over three reasons as to why the San Francisco 49ers should sign Geno.

Defensive Line Rotation

The 49ers have an extremely strong defensive line right now; however, they do lack a true force starting alongside the potential of Javon Kinlaw.  D.J. Jones is solid but does not bring much in terms of production throughout the season.  If the 49ers were able to accrue a line of Nick Bosa, Javon Kinlaw, Geno Atkins, and Arik Armstead, they would definitely be in a great place to really bulk up their rotation.  

This would also allow them to keep Dee Ford, D.J. Jones, and Kentavius Street as backups and after last season, it seems pretty clear they need to be focused on “next man up” football if players go down again.  Even if they do not have as many injuries as last season, keeping quality backups for later weeks so you can rest your starters is a solid plan.

Geno is Still a Productive Player

One of the biggest things people tend to forget about Geno is he really had one bad season to date, and that being 2020 with his shoulder surgery.  Prior to that, he made six consecutive pro bowls and an all-pro team, as well as two pro bowls in the three seasons before that.  The last season he played all 16 games (2019) he had the following stats:

• 4.5 sacks, 47 total tackles, 4 tackles for loss
• 10 QB hits, 10 hurries, 20 pressures, and only 6 missed tackles

It is also worth noting that 2019 was his first season playing defensive end instead of the interior, which really is not his strong suit.  If he is placed back at IDL he should regain his productivity of years past.

Scheme Fit

Personally, looking at how this defense was run under Robert Saleh, I believe Geno would absolutely thrive in this 49ers defense.  Things will likely stay relatively stable with DeMeco Ryan taking over as defensive coordinator, as he worked under Robert Saleh so he will likely continue to use the scheme they have in years past. 

This would allow their 4-3 scheme to stay intact, and them to run Geno as a “pass-rushing IDL” of sorts due to his hugely productive sack numbers over the years.  The 49ers are also extremely blitz-heavy on late downs, having the 3rd highest blitz rate on 3rd downs in 2020, and 19th on earlier downs. 

This would also allow Geno to either produce his own sacks on those late downs or take on two O-linemen and allow the other three previously mentioned players around him to rack up some more sacks as well.  Working inside Nick Bosa would be an absolute dream for the 49ers, and an absolute nightmare for any opposing quarterbacks. 

The post Why San Francisco 49ers should consider signing Geno Atkins appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

by: Ian Evans (@ianacevans)

NFL free agency is in full swing with many star free agents signing with new teams. From subtle moves to major acquisitions, free agency has seen many young stars and veterans on the move. Surprisingly, however, there are still many big-name free agents who have yet to be signed to an NFL.

From names such as Morgan Moses, Steven Nelson, Russell Okung, Melvin Ingram, and the savvy veteran cornerback Richard Sherman, there are still plenty of top free agents who are still teamless. However, there is one free agent that isn’t mentioned as much around the league who could contribute effectively in the pass rush: Geno Atkins.

Atkins, 33, is one of the older free agents that hasn’t been signed. This is partly because he was placed on injured reserve last season after he tore his labrum and rotator cuff. Despite the injury, Akins throughout his 11-year career still has proven that he can be useful on the defensive end. 

Despite missing the majority of the 2020-2021 season with the Cincinnati Bengals, Atkins numbers don’t live. In 2020, he recorded 47 combined tackles (tied career-best) and 29 assisted tackles (career-best). Just two years ago in 2019, he recorded 10 sacks (third career-best) and 24 solo tackles (fifth career-best). Even in his early 30s, it is safe to say that Atkins can still produce in the pass and rush defense.

However, he still has yet to call a team home. Although his age and injury are a factor, I would be thoroughly surprised if he remained unsigned going into the 2021-2022 NFL season. With this being said, here are some top fits for the veteran defensive tackle.

1. Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks had a subpar defense and was outstanding in the run game (fifth in rushing yards allowed per game) but struggled mightily when it came to pass defense (second-worst in passing yards allowed per game). Seattle needs more help defending the air attack than the ground game. So why is Geno Takins a top fit for the Seahawks?

At 33 years old, he’s close to retirement, meaning at this point in his career he’s most likely looking for a contender to join before he calls it on his career. Seattle is a perennial Super Bowl contender especially with Russell Wilson under center. They also could use a little more cushion on that defense front four. 

Pairing Atkins with his old Cincinnati Bengals teammate Carlos Dunlap could be an incentive to join Seatle. Additionally, pairing him with Poona Ford, L.J. Collier, Al Woods, and Robert Nkemdiche could be lethal. Especially in the loaded NFC West, Seattle could use a boost on both sides of the ball defensively. Geno Atkins could help contribute in the ground came and help contribute to a menacing front four. Seattle would fit him like a glove.

2. Minnesota Vikings

Minnesota needs help in a variety of areas, but their efforts should be focused more on the defense as opposing offenses had their way with this defense. The Vikings ranked 29th in team defense, as they allowed 134.4 rushing yards per game (ranked 27th in the league), 258.8 passing yards per game (25th in the league), and 29.7 points per game (29th in the league). It’s safe to say that the Vikings are in urgent need of defensive assistance. However, there is another reason why Atkins fits the Vikings mold.

Minnesota head coach Mike Zimmer was once the defensive coordinator for the Bengals, where he helped form a formidable defense. Throughout his tenure in Cincinnati, with Geno Atkins, Zimmer helped the Bengals reach the top ten in defensive rankings twice. In 2011 Zimmer’s defense ranked 7th in the entire league. The year after ranked 6th. With those numbers, reuniting the two could benefit both parties greatly. 

Geno Atkins could help patch the holes that the Vikings need fixing in their run game. A pairing with Danielle Hunter would be lethal as well. He could also add veteran leadership for rookies Patrick Jones II, Janarius Robinson, and Jalen Twyman. Adding a presence like Atkins to a team that desperately needs assistance would benefit them in the NFC North. Don’t be surprised if Atkins lands in Minnesota.

Note: The Minnesota Vikings ranked 28th in sacks.

3. Carolina Panthers

The Panthers could benefit from veteran leadership as their front four is relatively young. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a solid young core that consists of three 23-year-olds Brian Burns, Yetur Gross-Matos, and Derrick Brown. But after losing veteran Kawann Short, this core needs to replace that veteran leadership to catapult them to another level defensively and Atkins could help in that regard.

The Panthers finished 5-11 (third in the NFC South) as they had a disappointing year overall. Both their offense and defense were in the middle of the pack rankings-wise. However, they failed to score consistently as they ranked 24th in points per game (21.9). But defensively they held their own from time to time.

What’s surprising about this Panthers defense is that they actually were tied for first in fumble recovery touchdowns led the league in fumble recoveries. For a team that 20th in rushing yards per game (121.0) that’s rather astonishing. With these numbers, it seems as if they need some more consistency when it comes to Carolina’s pass defense. Enter Geno Atkins.

Adding a veteran like Geno Atkins could allow for more production from their young guys as an offensive line’s focus would be on stopping the six-foot-one, 300-pound defensive tackle. Atkins could prove useful in the Panther’s 4-3 defensive scheme that Matt Rhule has employed as well. In a division that should prioritize getting to a quarterback like Tom Brady and stopping running backs like Christian McCaffrey, a veteran could help significantly for a defense that needs to take a leap. The Panthers would be a solid fit for the currently unsigned veteran.

The post Top Fits for Geno Atkins appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Chandler Hyler

During the 2020 NFL season, Atkins not only seen a dip in statistical categories but in snaps played as well. The majority of the time, these two things do play into each other, as fewer snaps are played, it creates fewer opportunities to make plays. That being said, where there is smoke, there is likely to be fire. What I mean by that is the number of reduced snaps had to come from something, was it Atkins was battling back from a shoulder injury or had they seen a drastic drop in his play and production?

Former All–Pro and repeat visitor of the NFL’s top 100 list, Geno Atkins is still looking for a home for the 2021 NFL season. While he may not be the player he used to be, he could still bring in some rotational value for a team looking to upgrade their talent on the interior of their defensive line. Interest has been had for Atkins, but obviously, his market hasn’t been booming, otherwise, he would be preparing to suit up for an NFL franchise. Prior to Atkins being cut, he spent his entire 11 career with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Atkins saw action in eight games of the 2020 NFL Season but ultimately did not start one. Another alarming statistic from the previous season, he only recorded one tackle with zero sacks. In 2019, the former Georgia Bulldog played in all 16 games, while starting in 14 of those. There was a dip in his statistics in 2019 compared to 2018, as he totaled just 4.5 sacks and 10 quarterback hits compared to a 10 sack season and 19 quarterback hits in 2018. As for relevancy, this created the concern that during his 2019 season, once he surpassed the great age of 30, that he had begun to meet father time.

As a believer in fresh starts, Atkins still may have some gas left in the tank, he may just need to wipe his slate clean. The Cincinnati Bengals are going in a different direction, and instilling a youth movement in efforts to build around second-year stud quarterback Joe Burrow. Who could be suitors for the former All-Pro, wrecking ball in Atkins?

1. Las Vegas Raiders

Las Vegas has had major problems with creating pressure on the quarterback and has since the departure of all worldly talent, Khalil Mack. I don’t see Atkins coming in and being the absolute solution here, but I could see a scenario where Atkins at the minimum, improves the issue. With newly hired defensive coordinator, Gus Bradley, this unit should see some improvement as a whole. Along with Johnathan Hankins, the Raiders could solidify the interior of their defensive line by adding Atkins. At a minimum, if Hankins and Atkins could create pressure inside and get pressure up the middle, this could cease a quarterback’s ability to step up in the pocket, which creates a better angle for outside pass rushers to get home. The duo of Atkins and Hankins are both big bodies and would have no issues filling run gaps. If Atkins could come in and see valuable playing time with Las Vegas, and he could prove he is still an important commodity to this league.

2. Buffalo Bills

Another team that Atkins would be a schematic fit for would be the Buffalo Bills, as they are currently still running a base 4-3 defense. On one side of the interior of their defensive line, they boast former top 10 pick, Ed Oliver, and opposite to him is Vernon Butler. Atkins could be brought in as a rotational piece, and help keep those guys fresh. One other positive takeaway from bringing Atkins in would be his ability to bring Oliver under his wing. Atkins could teach him some of the things that made him such an unstoppable force for over a decade. Oliver is a highly talented player, and has the potential to be great; with the help from a veteran like Geno Atkins, some valuable knowledge could be forever instilled in the young pass-rusher’s mind. The Bills are also expected to be a highly competitive team next year, and Atkins could have a chance to win him a ring before his career is over.

3. Kansas City Chiefs

This is more of a luxury addition for the Kansas City Chiefs, as they have one of the best defensive tackles in the league in Chris Jones. Jones has been a destroyer since he came into the league, and beside Jones is Jarran Reed, a former second-round pick of the Seattle Seahawks. Atkins would be brought in to spell these guys, or in certain packages, sub Tim Ward out, push Jones outside, and line up Chris Jones, Geno Atkins, Jarran Reed, and Frank Clark along the defensive front. That would be a scary front on the goal line and would give the Chiefs flexibility in short-yardage situations, as well as obvious pass-rush situations. Similar to joining the Buffalo Bills, this would give Atkins an immediate shot at winning himself a ring before his career is over.

4. Dallas Cowboys

This Dallas Cowboys defense was historically bad last season. They gave up the second-most yards in franchise history while allowing the most points ever in a Cowboy’s single-season at 473. First-year defensive coordinator Dan Quinn has his work cut out for him, as they need to add a plethora of talent across the board. In the NFL, it all begins up front, and adding some depth and talent to this defensive line would give Quinn a boost. Atkins could come in and clog up the interior as a big, strong-bodied 3 technique, who has shown he has pass rush prowess. If he can muster some of his old magic, which is yet to be seen, but if the Cowboys could bring Atkins in on a team-friendly one-year deal, it couldn’t make this defense any worse. They need playmakers and then some more playmakers. As it stands today, their interior defensive line is Neville Gallimore and Trysten Hill, that duo isn’t really making anyone shake in their boots. Atkins could be a solid presence inside of Gregory and Lawrence, and make the Cowboys defensive line formidable at the least.

Geno Atkins will sign with an NFL team at some point, but it really is to be seen with who, and for what. His value and interest around the league have to be differentiating, as what he brings to the table at this point is unknown. That being said, teams ike the Dallas Cowboys and Las Vegas Raiders make a lot of sense as they both could definitely use the upgrade along their defensive front. It would be interesting to see Atkins go sign with a competitor as well, like the Buffalo Bills or the Kansas City Chiefs, as Atkins has been one of the quiet, yet productive players in the NFL for the past decade.

The post Potential Landing Spots For Geno Atkins appeared first on Pro Football Mania.