In what most everyone agrees will be a crucial offseason for the Bengals, things are already moving fast. On Wednesday, Germaine Pratt requested a trade from the team. While the reasons weren’t specifically announced, it’s not hard to imagine why Pratt might seek a change of scenery.
Though Pratt was a team captain and the Bengals leader in tackles last year, it didn’t translate into much success for this team. They were 25th in the league in yards and points allowed. It lead to the firing of defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo. There has been a lot of discussion about how close Pratt was to Anarumo and how that may have played a role in his trade request.
For all of the defenses faults last year, Pratt ranked top 10 in tackles last season and was one of only three players with 140 or more tackles and six or more turnover plays.
Despite the numbers, Pratt’s name has also come up as a likely candidate to be cut. This was because he “allowed 460 yards after the catch, according to PFF, tied for the second most among NFL linebackers. He led the Bengals in missed tackles (20), but more importantly, his missed tackle rate was a major issue. Pratt ranked 26th of the 32 linebackers with at least 75 tackles in missed tackle rate (12.7 percent).” Thus, amassing tackles, after the way this defense performed, isn’t necessarily indicative of a productive player.
If the Bengals do decide to cut him, it would result in a $2.3 million dead-money hit. But conversely, it would also clear up an additional $5.8 million in cap space. That is cap space Cincinnati may desperately need as it looks to work out contracts with Tee Higgins, Ja’Marr Chase, and Trey Hendrickson.
With the arrival of Al Golden as the new man at the helm of the Bengals defense, perhaps the time is right for both sides to move on. Perhaps Cincinnati can flip some draft picks for Pratt. At the very least they can clear some cap space. The Bengals have a lot to figure out on defense in 2025, but moving away from Pratt seems like an easy decision.
