ESPN Predicts Geno Atkins Will Sign with Vikings
Dustin Baker
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Note: This article originally appeared on our flagship site, VikingsTerritory.com.
The Minnesota Vikings are rounding the corner of the personnel-acquisition section of the offseason, placing OTAs and training camp in the team’s sights. But after June 1st, Minnesota will have about $15 million to spend on free agents. Either two splashy signings can transpire, or general manager Rick Spielman could invest three or so lower-tier players.
If the decision was left to ESPN, free agent ex-Bengal, Geno Atkins, would become a member of the Vikings in 2021. Bill Barnwell detailed 15 transactions that he predicts will come to fruition after June 1, and Minnesota jumped onto the list for possibly signing Atkins. Barnwell wrote about the Atkins-to-Minnesota theory:
“You may see a theme of players reuniting with their former coaches in this piece. Atkins’ breakout years came when Mike Zimmer was the defensive coordinator in Cincinnati, and the Vikings head coach could use some pass-rushing help in Minnesota. Atkins was anonymous last year as the Bengals reduced his role in the lineup, but the 33-year-old is only two seasons removed from a bo-sack campaign. Atkins would slot in as an interior rusher on passing downs as part of a rotation with run-stuffer Michael Pierce.”
And Barnwell foresees this as a one-year deal for Atkins worth $2.5 million.
Atkins tore his labrum in 2020, and the year became a forgettable one for the 33-year-old. The pandemic season marked the first time in the last eight seasons that Atkins missed a single game. Ergo, outside of 2020, Atkins is an iron man.
When healthy, Atkins is also a maniac for performance. From 2013 to 2019, only Aaron Donald has more sacks as a defensive tackle than Atkins. Signing Atkins – a healthy version – can be perceived as a robust step in the right direction of fortifying depth on Minnesota’s 2021 roster. For now, that depth is considered suspect by many Vikings analysts.
The enticing aspect of Atkins’ skill set is balance. When his labrum is whole, he is equally as effective in rushing the passer as he is stopping the run. Normally, a defensive lineman does one trait or the other in a superior manner. Such is not usually the case for Atkins. He stops the run and frustrates passers.
Here’s a look at his career-long performance scored by Pro Football Focus:
- 2010 = 80.5
- 2011 = 82.2
- 2012 = 93.9
- 2013 = 78.8
- 2014 = 72.2
- 2015 = 91.6
- 2016 = 87.0
- 2017 = 90.7
- 2018 = 81.8
- 2019 = 76.2
- 2020 = 54.0
If one is in the hype business, a penning of Atkins on a Vikings contract would further disconnect the Vikings from the memory of their 2020 defensive maladies. A defensive line of Ifeadi Odenigbo, Shamar Stephen, Jaleel Johnson, and Jalyn Holmes – would flip to Stephen Weatherly, Davlin Tomlinson, Michael Pierce, and Danielle Hunter — and a rotational side dish of Atkins.
Should ESPN miss the boat on this prognostication, well, the Vikings could spend their money on some other notable free-agent names. Richard Sherman, Larry Fitzgerald, Kawann Short, Golden Tate, Dez Bryant, Steven Nelson, Melvin Ingram, Justin Houston, and Everson Griffen are available.
The Vikings open the 2021 season in Atkins’ old house, at the Cincinnati Bengals, on September 12, 2021. Minnesota is 1-6 (.143) all-time versus Cincinnati in road games.