Signing Geno Atkins to a long-term deal for the front office is the equivalent of Marvin Lewis winning a playoff game. The Bengals want to get something done, securing an extension that will keep Atkins in a Bengals uniform long after 2014 (when the team is expected to franchise Atkins if there's no long-term deal in place).
According to Adam Shefter, talks starting to heat up.
After locking up defensive end Carlos Dunlap with a long-term extension earlier this summer, the Cincinnati Bengals are now making a major push to sign Pro Bowl defensive tackle Geno Atkins to a long-term deal, a source familiar with the situation said Thursday.
Talent evaluators said this week they regard Atkins as the best defensive tackle in the NFL, and the Bengals recognize that.
Atkins' agents spoke for "a while" with their client following Tuesday's practice, allowing one to conclude that they were there to speak with the team. Jason La Canfora wrote nearly two months ago that the financial discrepancies were significant. But we have a feeling that both sides want to get this deal done sooner rather than later.