BENGALS GENO ATKINS AGREES TO 5-YEAR CONTRACT EXTENSION WORTH $55 MILLION

Cincinnati Bengals Pro Bowl defensive tackle Geno Atkins has agreed to a five-year, $55 million contract extension, a league source told ESPN. The contract is the second-most lucrative extension for a defensive tackle in NFL history. Haloti Ngata signed a five-year, $61 million extension with the Baltimore Ravens in 2011. Atkins, a former fourth-round draft selection who was scheduled to earn $1.4 million under the last year of his rookie contract, will make $22 million in the first six months of his new deal. The contract will pay Atkins $36 million in new money over the first three years of the extension, according to the source. Atkins will make $31 million over the same period that he likely would have made $21 million for playing out this season and being franchised in 2014 and 2015 under very affordable franchise-tag tender amounts. The defensive tackle franchise tender amount for 2013 is $8.45 million. The 25-year-old Atkins recorded a career-high 12.5 sacks for the Bengals last season, his third in the NFL. The two-time Pro Bowler has 23 sacks in 48 career games.