Anyone who has watched Hard Knocks knows that the Bengals really like defensive tackle Geno Atkins. They’ve now put Mike Brown’s money where the coaches’ mouths are.
Per a league source, the Bengals and Atkins have agreed to terms on a five-year, $55 million deal extension.
The fourth-round pick in 2010, who was due to be an unrestricted free agent after the season, will earn $22 million over the next six months. He’ll likewise get $31 million over the first three years.
The contract currently is believed to be the second highest in NFL history for a defensive tackle, behind only Haloti Ngata’s five-year, $61 million deal.