Cleveland Browns DE Myles Garrett isn’t the only AFC North defender looking for the exit ramp. Cincinnati Bengals starting linebacker and defensive captain Germaine Pratt has requested a trade, according to multiple media reports.
Pratt, who turns 29 in May, led the Bengals with 143 tackles last season, starting all 17 games. Homegrown, the Bengals drafted him in the third round of 2019, and he’s started for the majority of his career. In total, he’s started 88 of his 96 career games and racked up 616 tackles (32 for a loss), seven interceptions, and 3.5 sacks.
In two 2024 matchups against the Steelers, Pratt combined for 18 tackles, two of which went for a loss. But his most notable moments came in the locker room before and after games. Leading up to their Week 13 matchup against the Steelers, Pratt guaranteed victory on Twitter/X for a Bengals team whose season seemed to hang in the balance.
Pratt’s words didn’t come through. Pittsburgh won in a shootout, 44-38, Cincinnati’s defense faltering as QB Russell Wilson threw for over 400 yards and three touchdowns. Following the game, Pratt downplayed the Steelers’ success, claiming all their offense did was throw screens all day.
It was not the first time Pratt had taken jabs at the Steelers’ offense. In 2022, he called out Matt Canada’s group for being too predictable.
“We knew what they were going to do,” he said that November. “They like to do the same plays over and over.”
The Bengals’ defense was a key weakness in 2024 and driving reason why Cincinnati missed out on the playoffs. Despite a top-six scoring offense, the defense ranked 25th in scoring, allowing 30-plus points in six games. Their run defense was middling and after the season, longtime defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo was fired.
Now, Pratt is voluntarily looking for the exits. It remains to be seen if Cincinnati will honor his trade request. If so, they still have trusty three-down linebacker Logan Wilson and Akeem Davis-Gaither came on strong replacing Wilson after he suffered a season-ending injury. Pratt is entering the final year of his contract so perhaps this request is to put the pressure on the team for an extension. He’ll have to get in line, however, knowing the team has to pay WR Ja’Marr Chase, DE Trey Hendrickson, and possibly find a way to keep WR Tee Higgins.
