After 11 years and eight Pro Bowls with the Bengals, defensive tackle Geno Atkins is on the way out.
Bengals coach Zac Taylor confirmed today that Atkins is being released.
A 2010 fourth-round pick of the Bengals, Atkins became one of the best defensive tackles in the NFL and was a first-team All-Pro in 2012, 2015 and 2016.
But Atkins is about to turn 33 years old and was scheduled to cost $14.7 million against the Bengals’ salary cap this year, and Cincinnati wants to move on. The Bengals will save $9.5 million in cap space by cutting him before June 1.
Now Atkins will become an unrestricted free agent, and he’ll have suitors, though he’ll likely have to take a steep pay cut from what he was making with the Bengals.
