CINCINNATI — A longtime Cincinnati Bengals beginning defender is on the lookout for a brand new workforce for the upcoming season.
Cincinnati will launch linebacker Germaine Pratt on Tuesday, a supply confirmed to ESPN. The transfer comes forward of the workforce’s obligatory minicamp, which runs from Tuesday to Thursday.
Pratt has been a starter in every of the previous six seasons and was an instrumental a part of the workforce’s back-to-back AFC North titles and AFC championship appearances in 2021 and 2022.
NFL Community first reported information of Pratt’s launch.
Pratt, 29, was set to enter the ultimate 12 months of a three-year contract extension he signed in 2023. Whereas the Bengals will incur a $2.3 million lifeless cap cost with Pratt’s launch, they’ll acquire $5.9 million in financial savings on the 2025 cap.
Pratt was one of many longest-tenured Bengals on the roster. Pratt and tight finish Drew Pattern had been the one members of the workforce’s 2019 draft class who had been nonetheless with the membership. A 3rd-round select of North Carolina State, Pratt began in 88 of his 96 appearances with the Bengals.
The parting of the way was inevitable given how the offseason transpired. First, Pratt requested a commerce following the firing of defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, who was rapidly employed by the Indianapolis Colts for a similar position. Then in April, Cincinnati drafted two linebackers — South Carolina’s Demetrius Knight Jr. and Clemson’s Barrett Carter, within the second and fourth rounds, respectively.
Knight was instantly slotted as a possible beginning choice rather than Pratt, who didn’t report back to any of the workforce’s voluntary exercises.
“He will stroll within the door and battle for a method to contribute instantly,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor stated when Knight was drafted. “I am fired as much as watch that occur.”
Final season, Pratt led the workforce with 143 complete tackles. He additionally had two interceptions and two fumble recoveries. Nonetheless, as an entire, the protection struggled and was the first purpose Cincinnati missed the playoffs for the second straight season and spoiled profession years from quarterback Joe Burrow and broad receiver Ja’Marr Chase.
All through his profession with the Bengals, Pratt had eight interceptions in all competitions, together with one of the pivotal performs in franchise historical past. Within the 2021 wild-card playoff sport towards the Las Vegas Raiders, Pratt had a goal-line interception in a 26-19 win over the Raiders that sealed the workforce’s first playoff victory in 31 seasons.
