The Cincinnati Bengals discover themselves navigating uneven waters as they kick off their offseason roster administration.
Whereas centered on strengthening their squad, the workforce faces some difficult selections round each cap area and depth chart changes.
The primary wave of drama hit early, with NFL Insider Ian Rapoport breaking information simply three days after the 2024 season wrapped up: linebacker Germaine Pratt has requested a commerce.
This improvement comes as a shock, contemplating Pratt’s 2023 contract extension—a three-year, $20 million deal that appeared like a win-win on the time.
“#Bengals defensive captain and main tackler Germaine Pratt has requested a commerce, sources inform me and @TomPelissero.” Rapoport shared on X.
#Bengals defensive captain and main tackler Germaine Pratt has requested a commerce, sources inform me and @TomPelissero.
Cincinnati has been devoting assets to maintaining their offensive core collectively and Pratt was near DC Lou Anarumo, who was fired after final season. pic.twitter.com/NuP0TmxIZv
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 12, 2025
Cincinnati’s historical past suggests they could stand their floor.
Final offseason, each Tee Higgins and Trey Hendrickson made related commerce requests, solely to be met with agency resistance from the Bengals’ entrance workplace.
Given this precedent, many followers anticipate the workforce to take the same stance with Pratt’s scenario.
The timing of this request is especially attention-grabbing given Pratt’s trajectory since becoming a member of the Bengals as a third-round choose in 2019.
His regular enchancment culminated in a standout 2024 season, the place he posted career-best numbers with 143 tackles, two interceptions, and two pressured fumbles.
These statistics underscore his worth to Cincinnati’s protection.
Because the Bengals weigh their choices, the scenario highlights the fragile steadiness between sustaining workforce chemistry and managing participant satisfaction.
Pratt has confirmed himself as a cornerstone of the protection, making this resolution much more complicated for the entrance workplace.
The approaching weeks ought to present readability on how the Bengals plan to deal with this surprising problem.
