It was a mild surprise when the Cincinnati Bengals were able to re-sign linebacker Germaine Pratt in free agency.
After all, Pratt seemed like one of the least-likely names to re-up with the team compared to some of the other free agents. Funnily enough, it was Pratt and not Vonn Bell, Hayden Hurst and Samaje Perine who stuck with the team.
Pratt’s years of service while steadily improving speak well enough to why the Bengals wanted him back. But some outside analysis provides a fun perspective too.
Pro Football Focus’ William Moy, for example, listed the most underrated player on each team in the NFL and Pratt was the pick:
“Out of 54 linebackers who saw at least 600 snaps last season, Pratt ranked 11th in terms of overall grade. Pratt especially excelled in coverage, where his 87.3 grade ranked third among linebackers and the 71.7 percent completion percentage he allowed into his coverage ranked sixth-best.”
That uptick in coverage ability is a big part of Pratt’s progression as a player, making him a complete package who can stay in on most downs.
For the Bengals, it’s a good problem to have, as they have now paid Pratt and will likely want to do the same with Logan Wilson as soon as this summer, too.
