The Cincinnati Bengals, along with several other teams this offseason, are making roster adjustments ahead of mandatory minicamps.
On Monday, the team announced it waived veteran linebacker and six-year veteran Germaine Pratt. The move didn't come as a surprise to anyone.
After the end of a disappointing 2024 season defensively, the Bengals fired defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo. It wasn't long after that when Pratt requested a trade.
Cincinnati then selected two linebackers in this year's NFL Draft, which sealed Pratt's fate with the Bengals.
Pratt was a third-round pick of the Bengals in 2019.
The team freed up $5.85 million worth of salary and left $2.33 million in dead cap money per Spotrac.
Pratt started all 17 games for the Bengals last season and posted 80 total tackles with 63 solo and five for loss, and added four QB hits, two interceptions, six passes defended, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. He did not register a sack for the first time since 2020.
For his career, the 29-year-old former N.C State product has amassed 355 total tackles with 261 solo and 32 for loss with 10 QB hits. He's added seven career interceptions with seven forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries with 3.5 sacks across 96 games and 88 starts.
The Bengals are hoping to sign pass rusher Trey Hendrickson to a massive deal to keep him in Cincinnati, and that almost $6 million of cap space could help.