The Cincinnati Bengals appear to be in search of a new linebacker, as Germaine Pratt has reportedly requested a trade.
This, according to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport.
If true, then it looks like we’ve seen the end of the Pratt era in Cincinnati. He was already a cap casualty candidate this offseason, so perhaps he saw the writing on the wall and wants a trade in hopes of keeping his current contract or getting an extension with another team.
According to Over The Cap, Pratt is set to have a cap hit of $8.18 million for the 2025 season, the final year of his contract. The Bengals would save $5.85 million by cutting him and would have a dead cap charge of $2.3 million. A trade would have the same result.
If Pratt is traded or released, it will mark the end of what’s been a special run in the Queen City for the man known as Playoff P. Pratt has made countless big plays in the biggest moments of both regular-season and postseason games for the Bengals. That includes the game-clinching interception in the 2021-22 home win over the Las Vegas Raiders, ending that dreaded playoff win drought for the franchise.
A former third-round pick out of NC State in the 2019 NFL Draft — the first year of the Zac Taylor era — Pratt developed one of the NFL’s better linebackers from 2021-22, including a career-best 78.4 Pro Football Focus grade in the 2022 season.
However, Pratt has struggled over the past two seasons, finishing with a 63.3 mark in 2023 and a 60.2 grade this past season while playing for one of the worst defenses in football.
The hope was the return of former linebackers coach Al Golden as the new defensive coordinator would reignite Pratt’s career, but it appears he wants a fresh start elsewhere.
#Bengals defensive captain and leading tackler Germaine Pratt has requested a trade, sources tell me and @TomPelissero.
Cincinnati has been devoting resources to keeping their offensive core together and Pratt was close to DC Lou Anarumo, who was fired after last season. pic.twitter.com/NuP0TmxIZv
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 12, 2025
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