Is Germaine Pratt salvageable?

[*PhilHos*]

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?

[Sled21]

(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?

I think Pratt asked for a trade because he knew Al Golden would put him back to being a 2 down linebacker. 

[Goalpost]

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.

[Isaac Curtis: The Real #85]

Yes. Of course.

He was top 10 in tackles last year and did a decent job filling in for Wilson.

He is in the last year of his contract. I am guessing he wanted an extension, and the Bengals politely demurred, whereupon he asked for a trade.

I think we need to get faster & more athletic at LB. If Golden plays more 4-3 and less 4-2 nickel, than Pratt is gonna play less. He is a 4-2 MLB type, not an outside LB in a 4-3.

But we will still plat plenty of 4-2 nickel, and he'll get a lot of snaps there. But he is in competition with Burks for LB2 and will not be a 3 down guy. Nor should he be.

[Stewy]

(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. 

Absolutely this

[WeezyBengal]

(04-09-2025, 11:53 AM)Isaac Curtis: The Real #85 Wrote: Yes. Of course.

He was top 10 in tackles last year and did a decent job filling in for Wilson.

He is in the last year of his contract. I am guessing he wanted an extension, and the Bengals politely demurred, whereupon he asked for a trade.

I think we need to get faster & more athletic at LB. If Golden plays more 4-3 and less 4-2 nickel, than Pratt is gonna play less. He is a 4-2 MLB type, not an outside LB in a 4-3.

But we will still plat plenty of 4-2 nickel, and he'll get a lot of snaps there. But he is in competition with Burks for LB2 and will not be a 3 down guy. Nor should he be.

That's a really, really, really, really bad metric to judge the quality of a linebackers play. 

[WeezyBengal]

(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. 

That's pathetic if true. 

Bengals extended him, gave him an opportunity to be that three down player, he failed. Needs to drop the ego and put the team first. 

[Sled21]

(04-09-2025, 11:56 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: That's pathetic if true. 

Bengals extended him, gave him an opportunity to be that three down player, he failed. Needs to drop the ego and put the team first. 

The guy nicknamed himself "Playoff P." I doubt his ego is controllable. 

[*PhilHos*]

(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. 

(04-09-2025, 11:54 AM)Stewy Wrote: Absolutely this

I hadn't considered that. But, wouldn't he still rather be on the Bengals at his current contract as a 2 down LB than being cut?

[*PhilHos*]

(04-09-2025, 12:02 PM)Sled21 Wrote: The guy nicknamed himself "Playoff P." I doubt his ego is controllable. 

What if we shortened "Playoff P" to just "PP". Think he'd be fine with that?

[Stewy]

(04-09-2025, 12:04 PM)PhilHos Wrote: I hadn't considered that. But, wouldn't he still rather be on the Bengals at his current contract as a 2 down LB than being cut?

Pride.

[Sled21]

(04-09-2025, 12:04 PM)PhilHos Wrote: I hadn't considered that. But, wouldn't he still rather be on the Bengals at his current contract as a 2 down LB than being cut?

I don't think he thinks he'll be cut, and if he's traded of his contract expires, LBs are more valuable to other teams as a 3 down backer than a 2. 

[FormerlyBengalRugby]

I think they will wait until after the draft to cut him.

I would not mind seeing him used in a trade to move up some slots, maybe turning the mid 4th rounder into a high second or low third round pick?

That said, I agree Pratt's time here is done and the Bengals could find similar talent in free agency, or better potential in the draft.

[*PhilHos*]

Ok, but what do we think the Bengals will do? Do they wait and if they don't draft a LB, keep Pratt and hope he can turn it around? Or do they still cut/trade him? Personally, if we don't draft a LB, I think we keep Pratt just because he's a known quantity and the front office looks to Golden to "fix" him.

[*bfine32*]

This team is better with Germaine Pratt on it. We trade/release him and many supporting such a move will be mad when Logan Wilson gets hurt again this year.

[jj22]

Pratt is the only other (outside of Hendrickson) big game playmaker we have left on Defense. Until someone else can step up in bright lights and big games, not sure why folks are so willing to let that go. We've seen great teams melt down in big games because they don't have big game players. We are already down to just two on D after having 5+ in 2021 and 2022. We need to get back up to 5+ for championship runs. Getting rid of one doesn't help that.

Pratt needs to drop 10 pounds and he will be fine. He's packed on too much weight over the last couple years. He's definitely salvageable, and we've put up with a lot worse play from players who have not contributed to championship runs.

[BengalsBong]

I think this hurt the culture of the team more than anything else has since he went off on Ossai.

Pratt should have been gone before the next year started.

[Bengalstripes9]

I think his run defense last year was heavily impacted by the Bengals having nobody at DT.
I think we'll see improved linebacker play because our DT room should be a lot better.
If they can add someone like Nolan to the mix via the draft that would turn DT to a strength.

I think his pass defense was heavily impacted by the Bengals having a depleted secondary last year too.

I think Pratt plays out the last year of his contract.

It's possible the Bengals draft his replacement in the draft and let him walk after next year.
It's possible the defense turns around and the Bengals re-sign him too.
I think it's unlikely they release him unless they draft a linebacker very high in the draft--even if they do it's not how they typically do things.
They typically honor their contracts.

[Sled21]

(04-09-2025, 12:12 PM)PhilHos Wrote: Ok, but what do we think the Bengals will do? Do they wait and if they don't draft a LB, keep Pratt and hope he can turn it around? Or do they still cut/trade him? Personally, if we don't draft a LB, I think we keep Pratt just because he's a known quantity and the front office looks to Golden to "fix" him.

I think the Bengals will sit right where they are until they see if they can draft someone better. If not, they'll keep him. 

[Truck_1_0_1_]

(04-09-2025, 11:55 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: That's a really, really, really, really bad metric to judge the quality of a linebackers play. 

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.