Is Germaine Pratt salvageable?

[THE PISTONS]

(04-09-2025, 03:12 PM)Truck_1_0_1_ Wrote: It isn't though: you just need context behind it. Hardy Nickerson and Keuchly racked up tackles and they were HOF LBs.

That being said, Pratt's context behind his tackles is not good, as they were downfield and not big run plays or anything.

Still, I think we are a better team with him, just with a diminished role.

Yes. And our DT's were pretty bad this year. That makes a LB's job tougher.

Pratt did look slow and some of it was he took bad angles at times.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(04-09-2025, 11:28 AM)PhilHos Wrote: Whether the Bengals draft a linebacker or not this month, is it possible they view Pratt as salvageable? I mean, dude kinda earned his 2nd contract with us and while he definitely played himself off this team this past season, is it fair to give him another shot under Golden?

IMO, he only asked for a trade in order to keep his contract 'cause he, like all of us, figured he was getting cut this offseason, but as neither the release nor trade of Pratt has happened (yet), could it be the Bengals are waiting and if they don't draft a LB, they'll just give Pratt another chance?

And, what do YOU all think? Regardless of what the Bengals done, if Pratt is kept on the team, would he, could he turn his play around and be, at the very least, an average starter on our defense?

Not going to say it isn't possible. I just don't see him being a 3 down LB and that is what he is being paid like. I would restructure his deal 
if we are going to keep him around and use him as a 2 down LB once again when he was good under Golden the first time around.

[SunsetBengal]

I think if Pratt simply refocused on making sure tackles at the point of first contact, it would really change our perception of him as a player. Ever since he came up with a couple takeaways in the playoffs, it seems like he's looking to make a splash play first, and tackle the ball carrier second. Hopefully Golden re-emphasizes the value of sure tackling and hammers home the principal of it leading to getting off the field quicker.

[*ochocincos*]

(04-09-2025, 11:28 AM)PhilHos Wrote: Whether the Bengals draft a linebacker or not this month, is it possible they view Pratt as salvageable? I mean, dude kinda earned his 2nd contract with us and while he definitely played himself off this team this past season, is it fair to give him another shot under Golden?

IMO, he only asked for a trade in order to keep his contract 'cause he, like all of us, figured he was getting cut this offseason, but as neither the release nor trade of Pratt has happened (yet), could it be the Bengals are waiting and if they don't draft a LB, they'll just give Pratt another chance?

And, what do YOU all think? Regardless of what the Bengals done, if Pratt is kept on the team, would he, could he turn his play around and be, at the very least, an average starter on our defense?

(04-09-2025, 11:38 AM)Sled21 Wrote: I think Pratt asked for a trade because he knew Al Golden would put him back to being a 2 down linebacker. 

What Sled said.

I don't see Pratt as a bad LB, he just isn't as consistently good in coverage as we'd probably prefer.

I really like Burks, and I can see another being drafted at some point.
I don't know enough about the LB added today, but he seems like LB4/5 to me.

[Frank Booth]

pratt's a loser and re-signing him was stupid. They saw he was willing to take a favorable contract and couldnt wait to bring him aboard

[Isaac Curtis: The Real #85]

His treatment of Ossai and his desire to be a 3 down guy bug/worry me.

But thecidea tyat Pratt is terrible just does not make much sense to me. I am not in a hurry to trade him.

[Sled21]

(04-09-2025, 05:23 PM)Isaac Curtis: The Real #85 Wrote: His treatment of Ossai and his desire to be a 3 down guy bug/worry me.

But thecidea tyat Pratt is terrible just does not make much sense to me. I am not in a hurry to trade him.

Man, you'd think Pratt beat Ossai's puppy to death or something. He blew up in an emotional moment and lashed out. Who hasn't? He was also man enough to publicly apologize to Ossai about it. People should let it go already. Other than that, I agree. 

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

(04-10-2025, 08:44 AM)Sled21 Wrote: Man, you'd think Pratt beat Ossai's puppy to death or something. He blew up in an emotional moment and lashed out. Who hasn't? He was also man enough to publicly apologize to Ossai about it. People should let it go already. Other than that, I agree. 

Guarantee they would have if he didn't follow that up by throwing a fit that he wasn't a 3-down LB, getting a payday and promotion to playing 3 downs, and then proceed to backslide for the next two years on a bad defense.

[Bengalitis]

why is everyone stomping on Pratt? Does his stats prove he's declined? He seemed fined to me this past season.

[Frank Booth]

(04-10-2025, 09:53 AM)Bengalitis Wrote: why is everyone stomping on Pratt? Does his stats prove he's declined? He seemed fined to me this past season.

good one

[WeezyBengal]

(04-10-2025, 09:53 AM)Bengalitis Wrote: why is everyone stomping on Pratt? Does his stats prove he's declined? He seemed fined to me this past season.

He didn't have a great year. He missed a lot of tackles and looked slow/disintereted out there at times. Lack of effort is one thing that I just can't put up with. 

Couple that with his questionable off the field comments, social media stuff and he's actually making some decent money and it's easy to see why he isn't held in high regard around here. 

[reuben.ahmed]

no, him looking like an idiot in that interview after missing 100 tackles, bench player

[jj22]

Players who can rise to the occasion (Bright lights, big games, championship runs) shouldn't be taken for granted. There are only a handful of bit game players in the league and they are on championship teams. Needed on both offense and defense.

Bills don't have them outside of Allen.... But they have a talented roster (so they say).

Dolphins have all the stars, but didn't have many of them, and look at their "championship runs"

Ravens... Big regular season players, but when the lights go on....

Myles Garrett. Talent HOF'r... But he's never taken over a big game for the Browns. He's had great regular season outings (against the Bengals), but he's not a big game player.

"Big time players make big time plays in big time games"

We don't have them on defense outside of Hendrickson and Pratt. You want players to play consistently in the regular season, don't get me wrong, but championship teams need big time players. In 2021-22 We had Hendrickson, Pratt, Bates, Bell, Reader, Apple (an excellent example), Hilton....

We have to get back to that and you never know if you have those players until the bright lights come on (even if they do have HOF 1pm games).

[*PhilHos*]

(04-10-2025, 10:17 AM)reuben.ahmed Wrote: no, him looking like an idiot in that interview after missing 100 tackles, bench player

You talking about the one where he was like, "Missed tackles? What missed tackles?" (I forget the exact quote)

Good times.

[BoomerFan]

Anything is possible. I think it is likely they'll still cut him eventually but I suppose it depends on who they draft.

[higgy100]

(04-09-2025, 11:39 AM)Goalpost Wrote: His tackle numbers are solid.  But, he just looks like he's lost a step to me.  Enough to question whether he is a 3 down linebacker.

I'll say this, their DL was putrid which creates an enormous amount of tackle opportunities for LB's and especially at the 2nd level versus what you'd rather see which is more LB's getting tackles by plugging holes and closer to the LOS. He certainly whiffed on plenty of them as well by.

With that said, I believe their DL will be much more productive this season even at this point in time. Add in potentially a top DT/DL in the draft and it will be even better  for a guy like Pratt to be more successful.

[*PhilHos*]

(04-10-2025, 10:45 AM)higgy100 Wrote: With that said, I believe their DL will be much more productive this season even at this point in time. Add in potentially a top DT/DL in the draft and it will be even better  for a guy like Pratt to be more successful.

My thoughts, as well. I think our DL will at least lead our defense into being a decent, if not good, run stopping defense. Even if the pass rush still stinks, a better run stopping d will go a long way towards keeping us from losing so many 1 score games.

[Sled21]

(04-10-2025, 09:05 AM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Guarantee they would have if he didn't follow that up by throwing a fit that he wasn't a 3-down LB, getting a payday and promotion to playing 3 downs, and then proceed to backslide for the next two years on a bad defense.

And complaining about that, I would have no problem with at all....

[Housh]

Can’t have a MLB that misses tackles

What’s the point of being fast on the snap if you just miss the tackle. He also just got worse last year. He used to be able to get guys down with one hand and now he’s a tackle misser.

Idk what happened


With all that said he’s still the best option we’ve got and he’s under contact


Maybe you just hope playing with a true NT fixes him

[BengalsBong]

Pratt will never get better till he stops trying to strip the ball and starts putting the player on the ground as soon as possible.