Bengals DT Geno Atkins sustained a right ACL injury in Thursday's Week 9 loss at Miami.

It's perhaps the most significant defensive injury of the season. Atkins has emerged as the best interior lineman in the league by a wide margin over the past three seasons, dominating against the run while also racking up 18.5 sacks over his last 25 games. Just two months ago, he inked a six-year, $56 million contract that included $31 million guaranteed and $22 million in the first six months. The Bengals have now lost Atkins and top corner Leon Hall (Achilles) for the season. They're losses that will be almost impossible to overcome.

Bengals DT Geno Atkins was forced from Thursday night's Week 9 game against the Dolphins with a right knee injury.

Bengals agreed to terms with DT Geno Atkins on a five-year, $55 million contract extension.

Atkins will earn $31 million over the first three years of the deal and he's worth every penny. Atkins has emerged as the game's most dominant 4-3 defensive tackle, racking up 12.5 sacks, 54 tackles, four forced fumbles and two batted balls last season. Entering his fourth NFL season, he's already been to the Pro Bowl twice, been a first-team All-Pro once and graded out as ProFootballFocus' No. 1 defensive tackle by an obscene margin last year. Atkins, fellow tackle Domata Peko, left end Carlos Dunlap and right end Michael Johnson make up arguably the league's premier defensive line. Now only Haloti Ngata and Ndamukong Suh have larger contracts at the interior line position than Atkins.

The National Football Post repots the Bengals and contract-year DT Geno Atkins are not close to an extension.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Thursday that the Bengals were making a "strong push" to get Atkins locked up, but the Post says there is "still a ways to go before ink meets paper." Both reporters could be right, of course. Perhaps we'll learn more on this Tuesday's Hard Knocks.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Thursday the Bengals are making a "strong push" to sign DT Geno Atkins to a long-term extension.

League sources tell CBS' Jason La Canfora the Bengals and contract-year DT Geno Atkins have had an "ongoing dialogue," but are "nowhere close" to a new deal.

La Canfora reported in June that there was a "chasm" between the sides, and it doesn't sound like they've done much to bridge it. Still only 25 and one of the league's very best players, Atkins is going to cost a fortune to lock up long-term.

Bengals DT Geno Atkins recorded at least a half-sack in 10 games last season.

CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora reports there's already a "chasm" in long-term talks between the Bengals and DT Geno Atkins.

The sides haven't done much negotiating heading into the final year of Atkins' rookie contract, but sound like they're miles apart in the early going. It's not exactly a surprise, as Atkins is one of the top defensive linemen in the league, while the Bengals remain its thriftiest club. Atkins would almost certainly be franchise tagged next offseason absent a new deal.

The Cincinnati Enquirer expects the Bengals to prioritize a contract extension with DT Geno Atkins before the start of the season.

Atkins is entering the final year of his rookie contract and is a candidate for a long-term deal now that almost all of the Bengals' draft picks have signed. A two-time All Pro, Atkins is likely to command top-five defensive tackle money. The Bengals have also held extension talks with contract-year DE Carlos Dunlap.

Bengals.com says the team has been frugal in free agency because they will try to sign DT Geno Atkins to an extension next season.

Yes, Atkins is the best defensive tackle in the game and is entering the final year of his rookie contract. Re-signing him is going to be extremely expensive. And the Bengals should also be trying to work out an extension with LE Carlos Dunlap. But we'd have an easier time buying this as a plan if owner Mike Brown didn't annually sit on a pile of bills and count his cash instead of pushing up against the cap like his peers.

Bengals DT Geno Atkins' salary jumped from $575,000 to $1.423 million based on rookie-deal incentives.

Atkins is entering the final year of his contract, and the Bengals have already dabbled in "brief, casual" extension talks with his agent. Turning 25 in March, Atkins is already a two-time Pro Bowler and was selected as a first-team All-Pro this past season. Atkins set career-best marks with 53 tackles and 12.5 sacks in 2012. His next contract will be monstrous.

The Bengals and DT Geno Atkins' agent had a "brief, casual" encounter at the Senior Bowl in an effort to begin contract extension talks.

"We had some dialogue down here," Atkins' agent Pat Dye said. "Both sides would like to get something sooner rather than later. It's just a matter of sitting down and getting it done in a way that that satisfies both sides." Atkins, 25 in March, is in Hawaii taking in his second-straight Pro Bowl while coming off an All-Pro first team selection. He's set to enter the final year of his rookie deal and should command upwards of $6 million per season on his next contract. The Bengals would be wise to lock him up as quickly as possible.

Bengals DT Geno Atkins was named to the 2012 Associated Press All-Pro first team.

Atkins received 42-of-50 votes, which was third on defense behind J.J. Watt's unanimous selection and Von Miller's 48 votes. Atkins, 24, set a single-season Bengals franchise record for sacks by an interior lineman with 12.5 and forced four fumbles. Pro Football Focus gave him a 79.9 overall rating that put him almost 50 points ahead of the second-best rating among the league's defensive tackles. Atkins has one year left on his rookie contract. Cincinnati needs to lock him up immediately.

Bengals coach Marvin Lewis told reporters Monday that he will not rest his starters in Week 17 against the Ravens.

The Bengals have clinched a playoff spot and know they'll be playing a division winner in the first round of the postseason. So they theoretically have little to gain from playing first-stringers. Lewis, however, tried resting starters twice before -- in 2005 and 2009 -- and his team was bounced in the first round both times. "How'd that turn out for us," Lewis asked rhetorically. "I think it's important for our team to play well. We are going to play to win the football game."

Bengals DT Geno Atkins has set a single-season franchise record for sacks by an interior lineman.

Browns OC Brad Childress believes the Bengals are now a more talented defensive line than the Giants.

"Geno Atkins might be as high a motor guy as we've faced," added Childress. The most disruptive interior pass rusher in the game, Atkins is ranked No. 1 among defensive tackles by Pro Football Focus. Cincy's defensive line gets another pass rushing boost with Dontay Moch, the preseason sack leader and arguably the fastest defensive end in the league, returning from suspension.

Bengals DT Geno Atkins' eight sacks lead all NFL interior defensive linemen through 14 weeks.

"He's not long and rangy, but he's quick and explosive," teammate Robert Geathers said. "He's very strong and he's short, so he's got leverage." Pro Football Focus' top-ranked defensive tackle, Atkins will likely become the first Bengals interior lineman to lead the team in sacks since Big Daddy Wilkinson had 6.5 in 1996.

Geno Atkins will take over as the Bengals' starting defensive tackle next to Domata Peko following Tank Johnson's release.

The move may result in a downgrade versus the run (Atkins is only 6-foot-1, 290), but he'll give the Bengals much more pass-rush potential from the interior. Atkins led the team with 19 quarterback pressures in 2010, his first season in the NFL. He also recorded 18 tackles and two sacks coming off the bench.

Through two preseason games, Bengals rookie DT Geno Atkins has 3.5 sacks.

Atkins is running with the backups and facing backup offensive linemen, but the impressive total is promising nonetheless. The Bengals had a glaring need for a true three-technique tackle after Tank Johnson had two sacks in 14 starts last season. Atkins should replace him on passing downs this year.

Bengals signed fourth-round DT Geno Atkins to a four-year contract, including a $472,000 signing bonus.

Athletic and dangerously explosive when motivated, Atkins lost his starting job late in his college career for effort concerns. He's a good rotational prospect, but seems unlikely to ever be more than a pass-downs player.