Geno Atkins remains a core piece for the Cincinnati Bengals.
But the Bengals coaching staff would like to see less of Atkins as he gets older — and more impact when he’s on the field.
Atkins saw 76 percent of the team’s snaps last year — the highest mark of his career. Compared to the 2018 season, he production dipped in hurries (16 to 10), pressures (35 to 20) and sacks (10 to 4.5).
The Bengals have a plan to fix it.
“I’ve been around guys getting older and by the end of the year they’re just worn down. We have to be smarter with Geno’s rotation,” defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo said, per Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. “We were hamstrung a little bit with depth, but we’ll get him a few less reps. I think you’ll see a better Geno this next year.”
Translation: Defensive line could be a bigger emphasis this offseason than some might guess.
While the Bengals have Ryan Glasgow and Renell Wren to play all over the place, they’ve been unreliable so far from an attendance standpoint. Anarumo will also keep working in more 3-4 and otherwise multiple looks, which will take Atkins off the field.
Atkins, going on the age of 32, was always going to lose a step. But managed well, it might not be so noticeable when he’s on the field.
