2. Re-signing Germaine Pratt
Not many Bengals fans felt confident about Germaine Pratt sticking around after the 2022 season wrapped up. Not only had Pratt been pretty vocal about what he wanted and wasn't getting but the final impression he left on the NFL world while in a football uniform was anger at teammate Joseph Ossai for the boneheaded play he made in the AFC title game.
Pratt played his best ball in 2022 so it felt like he was about to hit the jackpot in free agency. That's why it was a big surprise when the Bengals not only re-signed him but did so on a pretty team-friendly deal. Pratt signed a three-year contract worth $20.25 million with over half of that money coming in the first year of the deal.
The Bengals would not have gotten to where they did in the 2022 season without Pratt. It felt like whenever the defense needed a massive play, Pratt came through. Losing him would have been detrimental to this defense so keeping him was crucial. They not only kept him but managed to do so on a reasonable contract. Excellent move here.