It’s obvious the Bengals will cut defensive tackle Gino Atkins during the 2021 offseason. In an article published by Pro Football Focus on Thursday Atkins is listed as the Cincinnati representative on “Cut candidates for all 32 NFL teams: Alex Smith, Alshon Jeffery and Jimmy Graham among cap casualties for 2021.”
Atkins had an injured plagued season in 2020, playing in only eight games and not starting any of them. Prior to 2020, Atkins played in all 16 games in every season but 2013 when he only played in nine. Atkins started all but four of every game he played since 2011. The only season Atkins wasn’t a primary starter was as a rookie in 2010.
Atkins is an eight-time Pro Bowler, two-time first-team All-Pro, a second-team All-Pro in 2011 and a member of the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team. In ranking the Bengals best players in franchise history, Pro Football Reference has Atkins sixth in Approximate Value and second all-time among defensive players.
The Bengals will save $9.5 million by cutting Atkins but will lose $5.2 million in dead cap space. If Atkins returned he would cost the Bengals over $37.6 million. After 11 seasons in the NFL Atkins is clearly not one of the best players as he was throughout the 2010s. PFF examined Atkins’ lack of effectiveness and future.
"CINCINNATI BENGALS: DI GENO ATKINSCurrent Projected cap space: $37,653,130Cut cap savings: $9,500,000Cut dead money: $5,200,000Atkins played just 127 snaps in 2020 and graded out at 54.0, both marks by far the lowest of his career. The career Bengal had played at least 775 snaps and graded at 76.2 or better in five straight seasons before his first-ever bad year, but it’s fair to wonder if age is perhaps catching up to the soon-to-be 33-year-old.Cincinnati made a big investment in DI D.J. Reader during the 2020 offseason, but injuries knocked him out for much of the season, as well. He’s set to return in 2021, and the Bengals may look to continue their youth movement as they transition from the Andy Dalton–A.J. Green–Geno Atkins–Carlos Dunlap era."
Mike Daniels who is only a year younger than Atkins started 11 games for Cincinnati in 2020 as the primary DT in the 3-4. Reader is the DT in the middle of the Bengals defense for the immediate future. Reader signed a four-year, $53,000,000 contract with the Bengals during the 2020 offseason.
Reader’s contract includes a $16,250,000 signing bonus, $20,250,000 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $13,250,000 according to Spotrac. In 2021, Reader will earn a base salary of $4,300,000. Cincinnati is likely to look to add depth at DT with a middle to late-round pick in the NFL Draft.