The Cincinnati Bengals are no strangers to trade requests from key contributors. Just last offseason, both Tee Higgins and Trey Hendrickson requested trades away from the franchise, and this offseason they have another one already.
Germaine Pratt becomes the latest Bengals player to request a trade
Bengals veteran linebacker Germaine Pratt has requested a trade out of Cincinnati, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
#Bengals defensive captain and leading tackler Germaine Pratt has requested a trade, sources tell me and @TomPelissero.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 12, 2025
Cincinnati has been devoting resources to keeping their offensive core together and Pratt was close to DC Lou Anarumo, who was fired after last season. pic.twitter.com/NuP0TmxIZv
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Pratt has played the entirety of his career to this point in Cincinnati after the Bengals selected him in the third round (72nd overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft. He led the team with 143 total tackles in 2024 and also added six passes defended, five tackles for a loss, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
Notably, the Bengals didn't trade either Higgins or Hendrickson last offseason despite their requests, so it remains to be seen if they'll actually look to move Pratt. If they do decide to trade the veteran linebacker, they could probably land an attractive return. After all, Pratt is still just 28 years old with some serious experience under his belt.
Plus, Pratt was one of just three players in the league last season with 140-plus tackles and six-plus turnover plays, along with Zack Baun and Zaire Franklin. Clearly, he's still an extremely productive player.
Pratt has one year remaining on his current contract. He signed a three-year, $20.25 million contract with the Bengals after the 2022 season. He's slated to make $5.6 million in 2025 with a cap hit of $7.9 million.
It's worth noting that Pratt was close with former Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, who the team replaced with Al Golden at the conclusion at the '24 campaign. Anarumo is now the defensive coordinator of the Indianapolis Colts, and it's possible that his departure could have played a role in Pratt's request.
This is obviously now a major situation to monitor in Cincinnati, as it will be extremely interesting to see what the Bengals decide to do.