Atkins and Dunlap Frustrated with Being Phased Out

[fredtoast]

(10-19-2020, 05:34 PM)TecmoBengals Wrote: This could get interesting. What if he boldly offers that the Bengals coaches are trash?

I'll bet he has been in the doghouse ever since he went public with his comment before the season about Mike Brown's lack of commitment to social justice.

I don't feel he should have done that, but it would be a shame if that is what is costing him playing time.

[*psychdoctor*]

Seems like the culture shift under Taylor and company is incomplete. Seems like Bengals were serious spenders on defense last off season, caught many by surprise but it tells me some are not happy with personnel on the team and I think it goes both ways; that is, some players are not happy with coaches and coaches not happy with attitude of players.

Going public like Phillips did on social media reveals some rippling in background in the locker room. Not good. Sort of what Spikes did in the 90s...yikes.

[Okeana]

Zac is destroying what's left of this team.

[Destro]

it is the Bengals. Whatever they do will be wrong.

[CJD]

I foresee veteran cuts in the future to make money for the Oline

[Luvnit2]

(10-19-2020, 02:25 PM)Wes Mantooth Wrote: https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/nfl/bengals/2020/10/19/cincinnati-bengals-geno-atkins-carlos-dunlap-frustrated-roles/3707697001/

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Geno Atkins and Carlos Dunlap, two patriarchs on the Cincinnati Bengals’ defense, are being phased out of the team’s defensive game plan.

According multiple sources, Atkins and Dunlap are frustrated with their lack of playing time. Atkins and Dunlap are miffed by the team’s defensive philosophy and approach. They have basically been demoted to third-down specialists.

“He played on third downs,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said of Atkins after Sunday's 31-27 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. “He was in there on third downs, I know that.”

Atkins was on the field for 18 snaps and Dunlap was in for 28 defensive plays in the Week 6 loss. Dunlap was the only one of the two to appear in the stat column. He registered one tackle.

The Bengals started defensive tackle Xavier Williams over Atkins and defensive end Amani Bledsoe instead of Dunlap in Week 6. Williams was just signed by the team last week and Bledsoe began the year as a practice squad player. Williams logged 34 snaps and Bledsoe was in for 29 plays.

Sources told The Enquirer, the Bengals coaching staff approached Dunlap and Atkins and said their limited role is “what’s best for the team” going forward. Multiple players inside the locker room are wondering why Dunlap and Atkins have been relegated to situational players. The two veterans have combined for 10 Pro Bowls.

Atkins was invited to his eighth Pro Bowl as recently as last year. His eight career Pro Bowls are the most ever by a Bengals defender. Dunlap was twice named AFC Defensive Player of the Week in 2019. Dunlap is one sack shy of tying the Bengals’ franchise record.

Dunlap started the first four games of the regular season. He had nine tackles in Week 3 and one tackle and a pass deflection in Week 4. Leading up to the Week 5 tilt in Baltimore, Dunlap was first told of his demotion and publicly voiced his disapproval. He’s played a backup role ever since.  

Atkins made his season debut in Week 5 after missing the first four games due to a shoulder injury. He played in just 19 snaps versus the Ravens despite Cincinnati being thin at defensive tackle. The 11-year veteran has been on the field an average of 30% of the team’s defensive snaps in two games.  

Even though the Bengals have reduced the roles of both Atkins and Dunlap, the team is reluctant to trade either of them at this point, per sources. The NFL trade deadline is Nov. 3. A more likely scenario is the team moving on from the two during the offseason if there's no resolution. The Bengals would save $9.6 million if they released Atkins before June 1 and $11.25 million if they cut ties with Dunlap before June 1.

Dunlap’s contract expires after the 2021 season. Atkins’ deal is complete following the 2022 season.

Cincinnati’s defense allowed 430 total yards to the Colts in Sunday’s loss. The Bengals defense currently ranks in the bottom half of the league. Atkins and Dunlap are on the other side of 30, but it’s perplexing that the two defensive stalwarts aren’t heavily involved in the 1-4-1 Bengals’ game plan.

My common sense says FO dictating their limited snaps if both are 100% healthy so they can trade them. Problem is this FO lacks in common sense and ability to build a talented team.

I said trade them last off season and say trade them now.

We are in a rebuild, shed a lot of salary while adding picks for future drafts to build around Joe.

[Tony]

Is Zack doing this to prove a point? I don't understand with all the injuries how they could do this. It makes no sense really..

[mikey6866]

Please fire Lou asap. Wade, Kris richards, and Dan quinn are all just waiting on a call.

While your at it lets also handoff play calling to callahan...he can't be worse than zac.

[WeezyBengal]

They aren't playing this year because it's already been decided they won't be back next year. The Bengals are hopefully planning to shed their salaries at the end of this season and want to play younger guys to evaluate them. Kind of like how Finley played for Dalton last year.

Dunlap and Atkins not playing well and being hurt makes the decision all the easier.

This is my theory anyway...

[WeezyBengal]

7 pm tonight - get your popcorn ready....

[fredtoast]

He has not been shy about making public statements going all the way back to training camp.

This should be interesting.

[QueenCity]

Fireworks are popping.... several Bengals have chimed in under Dunlaps IG employee96

[Murdock2420]

An interaction between Carlos and Andrew Brown that is interesting to see and if you look through the comments, you'll see an old Bengal commenting.. Burfict.

This has potential to be a really bad night for the team.

[kalibengal]

oh damn...Burfict chiming in ? Waiting on PACMAN to be mentioned.....This may be really bad death blow to rest of season....
If I were ZT Id be planning counter measures right now....its looking really bad for him. He can talk all he wants about being on the right track etc etc....
but you are LOSING basically every game you ever coached!! Burrow sounded deflated yesterday ....when he muttered he just wants to win.

[Wes Mantooth]

Can I watch this without an Instagram account?

Anybody got a link?

[GreenCornBengal]

Wouldn’t it be career suicide to call out the coaches no matter the situation? If so, I’d say Dunlaps loyalty to Cinci is actually very high. A valiantly martyrdom type of move lol.

What’s he say about this upcoming video. Why do you guys think it’s all about the bad lockeroom?

[bengaloo]

(10-19-2020, 07:39 PM)Wes Mantooth Wrote: Can I watch this without an Instagram account?

Anybody got a link?

Wondering the same thing. If not, I hope the ppl on here who do post a play by play of all of it. Big time.

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

(10-19-2020, 06:45 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: They aren't playing this year because it's already been decided they won't be back next year. The Bengals are hopefully planning to shed their salaries at the end of this season and want to play younger guys to evaluate them. Kind of like how Finley played for Dalton last year.

Dunlap and Atkins not playing well and being hurt makes the decision all the easier.

This is my theory anyway...

For Atkins... Hard to play well if you only get 33 snaps total in 2 games. You are spending more time running on and off the field than playing.

As we all know, the best way to treat 30+ year old men who are 300 pounds is to have them constantly running and not playing.

[thompson19osu]

Even in his postgame interview ZT talks a out the players are positive and still believe in building the culture. I’m not sure what culture ZT is talking about but its not good. The guy can’t coach up any wins and he is quickly losing the the team. If I am MB, Katie, Tobin, whoever, I am consulting Burrow at the end of the season with the intent of asking him who he would like to bring in to coach. My fear is the Bengals stick with ZT and Burrow gets fed up with the losing and bounces once his rookie contract is up.

[Bronxbengal]

I thought Geno had a shoulder injury and yesterday was his first game? Did he not have the injury?


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