The Cincinnati Bengals are not only dealing with Trey Hendrickson trade rumors, but they also must figure out if starting linebacker Germaine Pratt will be playing elsewhere soon. That uncertainty may have helped play into the selection of South Carolina linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr.
The Bengals added Knight, who was drafted just a few picks after college teammates Nick Emmanwori and TJ Sanders, with the No. 49 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. This comes just 24 hours after they used the No. 17 overall pick on a pass rusher in Texas A&M's Shemar Stewart.
Knight is a player who could immediately push Pratt and Logan Wilson for snaps, all while giving the Bengals a very clean line of succession that could help them as Pratt hits the open market. Once again, Duke Tobin realized that he needs to invest in his defense to give this team a shot.
Bengals draft Germaine Pratt insurance with Demetrius Knight Jr. selection
Knight was originally penciled in as a two-down run stuffer, as there were some serious concerns about his ability to cover well and play sideline-to-sideline. After some encouraging athletic testing, Knight appears to have answered the call in a more than satisfactory way.
With Pratt likely nearing the end of his Bengals tenure, and some other members of the linebacking corps slated to leave town after the huge contract extensions handed out in the offseason, Knight could be one way for new DC and former linebackers coach Al Golden to move off those names and still maintain quality.
Knight, who is a distant cousin of Aretha Franklin and Gladys Knight, might be able to make some sweet music at the centerpiece of a brand-new Bengals defense. Pratt, on the other hand, might need to hit the road in the near future due to Knight's big arrival.