Cincinnati Bengals release team captain LB Germaine Pratt

Germaine Pratt's run in Cincinnati has officially come to a close.

Per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, the Bengals are cutting ties with the veteran linebacker and team captain. The move comes just one day before Cincinnati's minicamp.

The decision clears $5.6 million in both salary and cap space for 2025, a move that had been brewing since February, when Ian Rapoport reported that Pratt had requested a trade.

It's been clear for a while now that Germaine Pratt's time in Cincinnati was coming to an end.

The veteran linebacker and former defensive captain had a forgettable 2024 campaign, arguably the worst of his career, and was a glaring weakness on a Bengals defense that struggled all year. That drop-off in performance made it all but inevitable the team would move on.

Although Pratt had reportedly asked for a trade, nothing ever came to fruition. Now, the Bengals will officially release him on Monday. The move will carry a $2.3 million dead cap hit, but frees up $5.8 million in cap space, a trade-off the front office was clearly prepared to make.

All things considered, this separation had been written in the stars for quite some time.

Here's some of the quick reaction from the NFL world on the news:

Pratt, a third-round pick back in 2019 out of NC State, leaves behind a legacy of consistency and durability. Over six seasons in stripes, Pratt suited up for 96 games, earning 88 starts.

He racked up 616 total tackles, notched 32 tackles for loss, forced seven fumbles, and picked off seven passes, solid production from a linebacker who was once a cornerstone of the Bengals' defense. Pratt gave Bengals fans a moment they'll never forget, his clutch interception of Derek Carr in the closing moments of the 2021 AFC Wild Card Game sealed Cincinnati’s first playoff win in over three decades.

With a youth-driven overhaul underway under new defensive coordinator Al Golden, the Bengals are reshaping their linebacker corps around Logan Wilson. Cincinnati used the draft to inject fresh talent, selecting Demetrius Knight in the second round and Barrett Carter in the fourth. They also dipped into free agency to bring in Oren Burks and Joe Giles-Harris, signaling a clear shift toward a new era at the position.

The Bengals haven't exactly done Pratt any favors, cutting him loose this late in the offseason when most rosters are set and free-agent cash is drying up. It's a tough break for the veteran linebacker, now left hunting for a new home in a market with limited opportunities. That said, it's also likely Cincinnati spent the past few months exploring trade options in hopes of recouping some value before deciding to part ways. That could explain the delay in making the move official.