Germaine Pratt Reportedly Released by Bengals, Saves $5.6M in Salary Cap Space

The Cincinnati Bengals are reportedly parting ways with a key member of their defense.

Per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, the Bengals are releasing linebacker Germaine Pratt on Monday. Jay Morrison of BengalsTalk.com noted that by letting go of its leading tackler and team captain, Cincinnati will save $5.6 million in salary cap space.

After news of Pratt's release broke, disgruntled Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson shared a picture of them together on Instagram, and Pratt reposted the image. Hendrickson is holding out for a new contract and appears likely to skip mandatory minicamp this week.

Pratt reportedly requested to be traded earlier this offseason, as he was entering the final year of his contract with the Bengals. Cincinnati will incur $2.3 million in dead money by releasing him.

Pratt spent his entire six-year career with the Bengals after being selected with a third-round pick in the 2019 draft. He quickly became a source of production for Cincinnati's defense, recording over 75 tackles in each of his six seasons. He also created one of the most memorable moments in recent franchise history with an interception against the Las Vegas Raiders that sealed the team's first playoff victory in three decades, which kicked off its run to Super Bowl LVI.

The 29-year-old finished the 2024 campaign ranked ninth in the NFL with 143 total tackles while adding two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, two interceptions and six passes defended. He should garner significant interest on the open market from teams looking to improve their linebacking corps.