Bengals LB Germaine Pratt has requested a trade from the team.
Pratt has been a big part of the defence since being drafted in 2019, but is coming off a down season in 2024. As well, he saw his role reduced last season, coming off in some instances on 3rd down.
Pratt’s best seasons came with Al Golden as the LB coach, and there was some hope that with Golden returning as defensive coordinator, he’d be able to help Pratt re-find his old form. However, some reports have indicated that there could be a desire on Pratt’s end to reunite with Lou Anarumo in Indianapolis.
If the Bengals pull the trigger on a trade, it would likely only be a 6th or 7th round pick coming back. This is partly due to a saturated free agent class at the position. Should the Bengals trade or release Pratt, they would save $5.85M in cap space, while taking on $2.3M in dead money.
Of course, just because a trade was requested, does not automatically mean that one will be granted. In recent years, Jonah Williams and Trey Hendrickson have both requested a trade. However, neither one ended up being traded. Williams ended up leaving in free agency the next offseason, while Hendrickson went on to lead the league in sacks this past season with the Bengals.
This time could be different, given the cap savings involved, as well as Pratt’s recent dip in form. The situation will be one to monitor in the coming weeks.
