3 free agents Vikings can still sign this offseason

Geno Atkins could punch his ticket to Canton with a great run with Minnesota

In 11 seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, defensive lineman Geno Atkins has positioned himself for possible Canton enshrinement. The former fourth-round pick out of Georgia has been an eight-time Pro Bowler, a four-time All-Pro and made the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team. Unfortunately, Atkins has done this for an overlooked AFC North franchise that cannot win any playoff games.

Though firmly on the wrong side of 30 and coming off easily the worst year of his professional career, Atkins is only two years removed from his most recent Pro Bowl season. Regardless of how well or how poorly the Bengals played in the 2010s, Atkins always came ready to play. Minnesota could look to add a defensive lineman in free agency, and maybe he can be a fit here?

By coming to the Vikings, Atkins would be joining a winning organization — one that takes a lot of pride in defensive excellence. We all know that defensive-minded head coach Mike Zimmer would love to add a Hall-of-Fame-level talent to his roster. The only question is, how much does Atkins have left in the tank? If he has a good year or two left, then a signing could be worthwhile.

Ultimately, this feels like a high-risk, high-reward signing for the Vikings. Prior to last season, it was a given that Atkins would play at a Pro Bowl-level. However, he was limited to only eight games a year ago. If he is a shot fighter at this point, the Vikings don’t want to be the team holding the bag. But with that in mind, this is a Hall-of-Fame player who is need of a new team for 2021.