Bengals Roster: Realistic expectations for Germaine Pratt in 2023

One of the biggest surprises for the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2023 offseason was the re-signing of linebacker Germaine Pratt. The Bengals spent a third-round pick on Pratt in the 2019 NFL Draft and after some okay years, he came into his own over the past two years.

Pratt balled out during his contract year and the Bengals rewarded him for it with a three-year deal worth $20.25 million, per Spotrac. It was a bit of a surprising move, as the last time fans had seen Pratt in a Bengals jersey, he was shouting at Joseph Ossai for his hit on Patrick Mahomes in the AFC Championship Game.

It was a nice surprise to have Pratt back, especially with the Bengals losing several key contributors in the offseason. He finished the 2022 season with an 80.6 overall PFF grade and had a sparkling 90.1 PFF coverage grade.

What should Bengals fans expect from Germaine Pratt in 2023?

Now that Pratt is back, what should fans expect from the Bengals linebacker?

This past season saw Pratt rack up 99 tackles, 10 defended passes, two interceptions, and one sack. He came so close to that 100-tackle mark so unless he misses time with injuries, getting to that goal in 2023 is absolutely possible.

As long as Pratt is on the field, Bengals fans can count on him to have some sort of positive impact. Last year, when the team needed a game-changing play, Pratt tended to step up to the plate and make that happen (the Patriots game, for example).

Pratt only missed one game last year and has been able to remain relatively healthy during this impressive two-year run. If he can stay healthy again in 2023, there's no reason he can't continue to make big plays for this team and keep balling out.