While trading defensive end Trey Hendrickson might now be off the table for the Cincinnati Bengals, there's still linebacker Germaine Pratt to sort out.
Pratt requested a trade over a month ago and there's been radio silence ever since. The Bengals gained Oren Burks at the position right before losing Akeem Davis-Gaither, so the defense hasn't quite landed on Pratt's true replacement yet.
Things can always change. Jonah Williams was blindsided by Orlando Brown Jr. signing to take his spot at left tackle and requested a trade as well, and the Bengals seriously entertained the idea leading up to the 2023 NFL Draft. They ended up keeping Williams through the draft and Williams rescinded the request.
That Pratt wanted off the team long before they were even capable of replacing him spoke volumes about how he saw his future in Cincinnati and makes this a rather unique case. If the Bengals communicated to Pratt that his future was up in the air of sorts, it stands to reason that they'd be willing to find a trade partner and cut ties before long. So let's dive into what the Bengals should be looking for.
What a Germaine Pratt trade could look like
Pratt is still 28 years old with his 29th birthday coming up in late May. He's set to play the final year of his three-year, $20.25 million contract he signed two years ago. The Bengals are scheduled to pay him $5.6 million in cash this season and an additional $250,000 can be paid out if he plays 75% of the defense's snaps. That $250,000 is considered "Likely To Be Earned," meaning it counts toward his cap hit of $8,183,334, which is the sum of his cash to be earned and the final third of his $7 million signing bonus ($2,333,334) being prorated over three years.
If the Bengals were to trade (or release) Pratt, they would save $5.85 million in cap space, and the team receiving him would take on that amount since they aren't responsible for the signing bonus proration amount as they did not pay him the original signing bonus.
In short, the Bengals would be trading a soon-to-be 29-year old starter on a one-year, $5.85 million contract.
The allure of trading for Pratt is found in his experience and the price tag attached to it. Cincinnati has started Pratt for most of the last six years. He's not going to be wide-eyed when entering a new environment or scheme. He's seen plenty of film in playing nearly 5,000 career defensive snaps in both the regular season and playoffs.
And you're getting this under $6 million for this season. 14 linebackers signing new contracts this offseason at a larger price tag. The affordability is what can entice a team in desperate need of a starting linebacker, even if his current team wants to move on from him.
So what team would be interested? There is one that stands out.
Bengals should offer Pratt to the Las Vegas Raiders
This idea was first floated by Sportsnaut's Moe Moton. The Raiders are in dire need of a veteran linebacker to pair with Elandon Roberts, whom signed a one-year, $3.01 million deal during the first week of free agency. The options on the roster are not up to snuff, and their most recent attempt to remedy this failed. Las Vegas tried to sign restricted free agent Christian Elliss from the New England Patriots, but New England matched the offer and then some.
Pickens have gotten extremely slim for the Raiders on the open market, making their likelihood of gauging the trade market that much higher. Luckily, they have nine total picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, including four in the sixth round or later.
The Bengals can't reasonably expect the Raiders to part ways with any pick higher than a sixth-rounder. Pratt's age and lack of years remaining on his contract will naturally diminish the price. The same was true for running back Joe Mixon last year, and he was traded to the Houston Texans for a seventh-round pick.
As it stands right now, the Bengals don't have a seventh-round pick after trading it away for Khalil Herbert last year. This makes it very simple.
Trade Proposal
- Bengals receive Raiders' seventh-round pick (No. 222 overall)
- Raiders receive Germaine Pratt
The Las Vegas Raiders are in desperate need of another starting linebacker. They thought they had their guy when they submitted an offer sheet to Christian Elliss last week, but on Monday, the New England Patriots matched it. Now, they’re right back where they started, with nothing but Day 3 guys and UDFAs all with no experience, sitting behind Elandon Roberts. With what’s left on the market it feels like the Raiders may be trending towards having to draft a player at the position, and that doesn’t solve the problem of not having much experience, or any at all. Getting Pratt from the Bengals, would not only be the fit they’re looking for in terms of an experienced guy, but would also add a guy who’s played some pretty important football in his career in the postseason. This would be a deal I think John Spytek and Pete Carroll would have a hard time passing up. - A to Z Sports Las Vegas staff writer Justin Churchill
This deal makes sense for both sides. It clears the way for the Bengals to target Pratt's replacement in the upcoming draft, in which they now have a selection in all seven rounds, and the Raiders get a one-year rental at their biggest position of need for the cost of their last draft pick.
There's also a bit of poeticism at play here.
Pratt could finish out his contract in Cincinnati this season and the greatest play of his career will still be the one he made against the Raiders over three years ago. It was his interception in against Las Vegas that won the Bengals their first playoff game in 31 years.
