As expected, Germaine Pratt will not be with the Bengals in 2025. The veteran linebacker will be released today, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. 
Throughout the offseason, signs have pointed to a parting of ways in this case. Pratt has loomed as a release candidate for months, and today’s move will allow him to hit the open market ahead of training camp. The 29-year-old requested a trade in February, but no agreement was worked out with an interested team. Now, the sides will move on after six years together.
One season remained on Pratt’s contract, but none of his scheduled base salary was guaranteed. Instead of keeping the former third-rounder in place at a cap hit of $8.18MM, the Bengals will take the financial benefits of this move. Cutting Pratt after June 1 will generate $5.85MM in savings while incurring a dead money charge of $2.33MM.
Since the start of last month, a release has been seen as an inevitability. Cincinnati will continue to rely heavily on Logan Wilson as a productive contributor at the second level of the defense in 2025. That marks the first season with Al Golden in place as defensive coordinator, and he will have a pair of rookies in place at the linebacker spot. Second-rounder Demetrius Knight Jr. is in position to replace Pratt as a starter.
Golden’s predecessor, Lou Anarumo, now finds himself in charge of the Colts’ defense. To little surprise, Sports Illustrated’s Jay Morrison notes Indianapolis is a logical landing spot for Pratt. The team lost E.J. Speed in free agency, and with more than $20MM in cap space a low-cost Pratt signing aimed at inserting him into the starting lineup should not be a challenge.
After taking on a first-team role midway through his rookie campaign, Pratt remained a mainstay on defense through the remainder of his Bengals career. The NC State product has increased his tackle total every year, and he hit double-digits in that respect over each of the past two campaigns. With seven interceptions and 23 pass deflections to his name, production against the pass will also be expected once he lands with a new team.
The Bengals entered Monday mid-pack in the NFL in terms of cap space, but once the Pratt move is processed they will have additional funds available. It will be interesting to see if a linebacker addition winds up being made from outside the organization or if Cincinnati’s in-house options will be relied on to fill the vacancy.
Wouldn’t be surprised to see him follow Anarumo to Indy.
@oooof. Rapsheet just said it was a real possibility of him going to indy. Anarumo is a big fan of his. Also said this could be a sign Hendrickson deal is close.
Expect a lot more of these “cap savings” cuts as the Bengals figure out how they’ll pay Hendrickson…..
Brown family stuffs more money in their pockets.
Should the 49ers give Pratt a look, or are they better with Dee Winters, recent draftee Nick Martin, and/or recent Robert Saleh disciple and super athlete, Chazz Surratt fighting it out to see who rises to the top??
Winters already has the upper hand, but Martin has been called a Greenlaw replica and was handpicked by Saleh in the draft. Like I said, though, Surratt was just recently with Saleh, and he improved every year under his tutelage…
Is Pratt any better??