Vikings likely to show interest if Bengals release All-Pro defender
By Adam Carlson
The Minnesota Vikings defense was a struggling unit in 2020. Decimated by injuries the team was forced to play many young defenders and adust their defensive strategy to accommodate for the changes made to the personnel.
Hopes are that 2021 will be better. A full offseason to get many of the players back to health could do wonders for the unit, but there are still going to be holes on the roster from exiting starters and individuals who weren’t effective when in the lineup.
One way to fill those holes is by using the NFL Draft, which sees the Vikings only have one selection in the first 77 picks. Therefore, it makes sense to fill what is possible in free agency, even if it means moving money around in the salary cap to do so.
NBC Sports recently released their offseason team preview for the Cincinnati Bengals and one of the transactions they discuss as a way to save $9.5M against the salary cap is by releasing three-time All-Pro and eight-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Geno Atkins.
Atkins would not only be an instant upgrade at defensive tackle over Shamar Stephen but his familiarity with current Vikings head coach and former Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer would make a reunion between the two extremely logical.
Minnesota would need to move some money around to be able to work out a contract with the 32-year-old defensive lineman, but having a proven talent in the middle of that defensive line would make a big difference in terms of generating an internal pass rush and containing the run game of opponents. Atkins has 75.5 sacks and 172 total tackles in his 161-game career.
However, there is a concern. Atkins was placed on injured reserve with a shoulder injury that sidelined him for a majority of the 2020 NFL season and Rotoworld is concerned that it will have a huge impact on his play moving forward…if he is even able to do so.
If Geno Atkins is able to prove that he is healthy and able to contribute and he is released by the Bengals as s salary cap casualty, the Minnesota Vikings should be very serious about pursuing him in free agency.