Bengals Trade Failure Means Shocking Cut Of Defensive Star Germaine Pratt
Trey Hendrickson, you are not alone.
The Cincinnati Bengals entered this offseason with a number of very good players that they have to pay on both sides of the ball.
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Or ...
Not pay.
But having that many stars means a team migth have to pick and choose which ones they pay and which ones they have to let go.
And now we have confirmation of the speculation ... as the Bengals are indeed going to release star linebacker Germaine Pratt.
Pratt has requested a trade in the past, but the team failed to find one that fit.
Pratt has been a standout for the Bengals, especially this past season, where it was a bit of a surprise to some that he was not named a Pro Bowler. He finished the year with 143 total tackles, which tied him for 10th in the NFL.
He was also able to showcase his versatility by getting to the quarterback with five QB hits, as well as his ball-hawk skills with two interceptions.
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And he's a team captain.
The Bengals - who with this move will save $5.6 million in 2025 cap space - have also showed hesitancy in paying another one of their defensive players in edge rusher Hendrickson.
The team allowed the eighth-most yards this past season, so it might be time for them to reset and rebuild that side of the ball from the ground up.
Whichever team decides to sign Pratt will be getting one of the best tackles in the league ... while the Bengals will be turning their attention back to figuring out what to do with Hendrickson in a market that suggests he might deserve $30 million APY.
Related: Bengals Accused Of Lying By Trey Hendrickson
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
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