NFL Notes: Bengals, Buccaneers, Giants, Lions, & Rams

Bengals

• DC Paul Guenther referred to DT Geno Atkins as “just a guy” this season.

“This year, he was just three-technique No. 20, in my mind,” Guenther said, via Coley Harvey of ESPN. “He was just a guy out there.

“We need to get him back to where he was, being that game-wrecker there inside,” Guenther said. “Otherwise, we need to go find a new inside rusher.”

Buccaneers

• Rick Stroud of the Tampa Tribune reports that the Buccaneers have not offered their offensive coordinator position to Falcons OC Dirk Koetter. 
• According to Stroud, Koetter remains a candidate for the job, but Tampa Bay intends to continue their search for an offensive coordinator.

Giants

• Dan Graziano of ESPN writes that the franchise tag could be an option for the Giants as they attempt to retain DE Jason Pierre-Paul. However, it would likely require them to make some roster cuts.
• Graziano doesn’t see DE Mathias Kiwanuka returning for the 2015 season, as releasing him will save the Giants $4.825 million.
• Graziano writes CB Prince Amukamara‘s season-ending injury could give the Giants some leverage to negotiate an extension that would reduce his fifth-year option salary of close to $7 million.
• Graziano believes MLB Jon Beason will have to rework his contract following an injury filled 2014 season.

Lions

• RB Reggie Bush said he expects to be back with the Lions next season, even though he’s coming off of an injury filled season and will count $5.2 million against the team’s salary cap.

“I do know the business side of it,” Bush said, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “And I know that I have a contract that says I’m here for another two years, so that’s the business side of it. Until somebody tells me otherwise, that’s when I’m planning on being back.“

Rams

• Impending free agent WR Kenny Britt mentioned that he would like to be back with the Rams next season.

“I definitely want to come back here,” Britt said, via Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “This is a young team. It’s a great young team. They’ve just scratched the surface on what their abilities could be. They’re growing each day, and they’re growing each year.

“I’ve only been here one year, so to see how they’ve grown from OTAs to now is just amazing. So I want to see ’em grow even more. I hope I can be a part of that.”