The Cincinnati Bengals cut Germaine Pratt on Monday, making the veteran linebacker the team’s latest cap casualty after signing star receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to mᴀssive contract extensions.
Pratt has been a reliable contributor for the Bengals since being drafted out of the University of Cincinnati in 2019. He now departs a defense that was already without defensive end Sam Hubbard, who recently retired, and his counterpart Trey Hendrickson, who is holding out amid a contract dispute.
And Hendrickson isn’t the only defensive player currently on the sidelines. First-round pick Shemar Stewart, a defensive end from Texas A&M, and second-round pick Demetrius Knight II, a former South Carolina linebacker, are both in team meetings, but sat out of drills during organized team activities (OTAs) because they decided against signing the requisite waivers.
The 29-year-old Pratt led Cincinnati with 143 total tackles in 2024, including five tackles for a loss to go with a pair of interceptions and fumble recoveries.
The inconsistent Bengals missed the playoffs at 9-8 last season while surrendering 348.3 yards per game – more than all but seven NFL teams.
Cincinnati also surrendered a touchdown on 67.9 percent of opponent’s red-zone possessions, the third-worst rate in the NFL
The Cincinnati Bengals cut Germaine Pratt on Monday, making the veteran linebacker the team’s latest cap casualty after this off-season’s spending spree
The Bengals are currently without holdout Trey Hendrickson (left) and retired Sam Hubbard
Despite the absence of Hendrickson and the inactivity of Stewart and Knight, new Bengals defensive coordinator Al Golden was pleased with his other players’ efforts during OTAs.
‘We can push the limits of our core fundamentals,’ he told reporters in Cincinnati last week. ‘We can try to see how many concepts we can efficiently get to, which I think is important, and then draw on that in training camp.
‘Although it’s not as physical or perhaps as long as training camp, this does serve as a springboard and great foundation for us. Without this segment, it’s hard to start off where you want, so that’s why there’s urgency right now for us.’
Specifically, Golden is working to teach young defensive players the ᴀssignments of their teammates so that everyone is on the same page whenever on-field adjustments are made.
‘When you sit in on those unit meetings and you look at the pre-practice work and all the stuff that they’re getting as a unit, it’s a very hungry group,’ head coach Zac Taylor told reporters. ‘Al’s done a great job setting the standard in that room. The position coaches have followed suit, so I’m really excited about the direction that group’s heading.’
Golden previously served as the Bengals’ linebackers coach in 2020 and 2021, when he worked directly with Pratt, before moving on to Notre Dame for three seasons.
