One day after Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Germaine Pratt agreed to return to the team in free agency and dropped some epic reasoning for his decision, he arrived for the contract signing and offered one more critical reason.
Joe Burrow.
Pratt wants loyalty and to win games. He’s got the former with the team that drafted him and gave him a nice extension and the latter with a top-five passer.
“I’ve got a top five quarterback in the league. Why leave?” Pratt said, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. “It’s huge for you to be around a quarterback that can lead us. (Burrow) led me from dark days. The first two years was terrible without Joe. He gave that bright light in the tunnel, so I want to ride this wave as long as I can.”
Pratt said he’s not worried about Burrow’s inevitable extension and offered other examples: “The guys are always talking about how they want to be around a quarterback, they want to win. You see Davante Adams wanting his A-Rod to come to Las Vegas for him to win.”
It’s noteworthy to hear Pratt mention he’s been through it all in Cincinnati. The pre-Burrow days weren’t so hot. He’s seen firsthand how things can change. While another team might have offered him more cash, his new team could have been a dramatic step back in the quarterback area.
Just look at Vonn Bell, headed to Carolina, where the Panthers have the first overall pick. Or Jessie Bates, who goes to an Atlanta Falcons team with Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke.
Pratt said no thanks to all that and fans can indeed call it the Burrow effect at work.
