Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Germaine Pratt is one of the many key free agents for the team in the next few months.
Pratt knows this and has made it clear he wants to be back.
Speaking with reporters after Cincinnati’s AFC title game loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, Pratt kept it short and sweet, per Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic: “Absolutely I want to be back. But if they don’t want me back, then …”
That’s the vibe of the whole outlook with Pratt, though.
The Bengals first and foremost, want to get the Joe Burrow extension done with some urgency. Then they’ve got to worry about a free agent class featuring Pratt, Jessie Bates, Vonn Bell, Hayden Hurst and others.
And while Burrow’s extension won’t impact immediate cap space much, the Bengals have to be mindful of who they extend and for how much because they have to worry about future Burrow cap hits and extensions for names like Ja’Marr Chase.
Spotrac has Pratt’s projected market at an average annual value of $10.6 million, which isn’t terrible. But it takes just one team on the market to up that significantly while promising him three-down playing time.
Pratt isn’t getting that playing time with the Bengals and other teams will know just how much to bid if they want to get the Bengals out of their comfort zone, so that quick quote from Pratt sort of says it all.
Pratt also posted this on Instagram:
