Pratt Gone

[SunsetBengal]

(06-11-2025, 10:32 PM)Isaac Curtis: The Real #85 Wrote: Pratt can still play, no doubt.

Strategically, in roster build terms, I thought we'd ride with him 1 more year and focus more/sooner on other areas of greater need.

But Golden runs his D through the LBs and wanted to change out the unit (ADG & Bachie also gone, Burks, Knight, Carter, & Giles-Harris in).

Heck maybe that was the original plan pre-trade request.

But if Pratt was again threatening to pitch a fit if he wasn't a 3 down guy, then he had to go.

We decided for status quo at 3T, CB (sans Hilton), and S.

Obviously the team has a plan to move forward, even though it might not be one that we all agree with..

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(06-11-2025, 07:57 PM)bfine32 Wrote: Returning to the scene of the crime. I just glad it wasn't with another AFC North Team

My exact thoughts.

[Soonerpeace]

(06-11-2025, 09:36 AM)ochocincos Wrote: Agree with your above.

To me, this signals the FO is putting a lot on the coaches' shoulders, saying, "OK, we got rid of the guys believed to not be coaching these players up correctly. It's now on Taylor and these new coaches to get the OL and defense operating properly."

I sense a changing of the guard in a year or two if the team doesn't go (deep) into the playoffs this year or next.
The only way I see there being more runway given is if a really key injury happens, which would have to be to the likes of Burrow, Chase, Hendrickson, or 1-2 of the mainstays on OL.

The Knicks got Thibs fired from their exit interviews with the owner. If the team plays poorly it will be interesting 

[TJHoushmandzadeh's Shiny Shoes]

(06-11-2025, 07:32 PM)jj22 Wrote: On a side note (not because of Pratt) I like what the Raiders have done this offseason. I was conflicted on bringing Carrol back to the league, but the Chip hire was good. They may be building something in LA.

I haven’t followed the Raiders closely but giving Cappa an $11.5m deal with $5.5m guaranteed, making Pratt your highest paid LB and re-signing Zach Carter wouldn’t be filling me with confidence having see them play last year.

[*ochocincos*]

(06-11-2025, 10:54 PM)Soonerpeace Wrote: The Knicks got Thibs fired from their exit interviews with the owner. If the team plays poorly it will be interesting 

Yea some organizations will let go of coaches who get them close but haven't quite gotten them to the promised land.
Bengals are more likely to keep a guy around as long as the guy is having winning seasons, or at least that's how it has been in the past with Mike Brown.
FWIW, I was not opposed to having Taylor stick around this year after last year's disappointment.
I don't expect a HC to know everything about both offense and defense. You do have to put some trust and responsibility into your coordinators, especially ones on the opposite side of the ball you used to coach on.
I think it does make sense to first try a changing of the guard at the lower level first to see if that really was the core of the problem.
But if the team goes another year or two not making the playoffs, it might be an indicator Taylor really may not be that guy and the team can't capture the magic with him as HC without bringing in a bunch of veteran defensive players.

[ERIC1]

(06-11-2025, 12:23 PM)jj22 Wrote: Burrow didn't seem happy to see Pratt go. And why would he. He knows the importance of playmakers.

He knows you can have hall of fame players on both sides of the ball as we did the last two eras before him with none of those great talented players able to play big in big games. With all due respect to the AJ Greens, Atkins, Chads, TJ's, Reggie's, Burficts, Jones, Dunlaps, Whits etc of the past generations.

Joe burrow is a wonderful quarterback and I am grateful that he has provided you personal insight as to his feelings....but I would like to make 2 points 1) Every friggin game in the nfl season is a "big game" and for the past two years pratt has stunk in 75% of those games 2) joe burrow is a smart man and he sees better than most of us just how bad pratts play has deteriorated regardless of your interpretation of his conveyances

[c766]

(06-11-2025, 12:23 PM)jj22 Wrote: Burrow didn't seem happy to see Pratt go. And why would he. He knows the importance of playmakers.

He knows you can have hall of fame players on both sides of the ball as we did the last two eras before him with none of those great talented players able to play big in big games. With all due respect to the AJ Greens, Atkins, Chads, TJ's, Reggie's, Burficts, Jones, Dunlaps, Whits etc of the past generations.

He was in the bottom 7% of worst starting LBs in the NFL last year. 

[SunsetBengal]

(Yesterday, 09:53 AM)TJHoushmandzadeh Wrote: I haven’t followed the Raiders closely but giving Cappa an $11.5m deal with $5.5m guaranteed, making Pratt your highest paid LB and re-signing Zach Carter wouldn’t be filling me with confidence having see them play last year.

IDK, Cappa should be a better fit with the Raiders, who run a more balanced offensive attack. Cappa should look a lot more like he did with Tampa Bay than he did in his time with the Bengals. Pratt has a history of playing really good games versus the Chiefs, the change of scenery should allow him to play with renewed focus if the LV lifestyle doesn't creep in on him.

[*ochocincos*]

I personally loved the draft pick of Germaine Pratt back in 2019. I thought he was a well-rounded LB who could cover and stop the run.
While he did miss some tackles, I thought he was better overall than some gave him credit for.
With that said, I really, really like Burks and think Knight/Carter can become quality LBs in the NFL too.
I wish Pratt luck on his new team.

[Truck_1_0_1_]

(Yesterday, 10:22 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: IDK, Cappa should be a better fit with the Raiders, who run a more balanced offensive attack. Cappa should look a lot more like he did with Tampa Bay than he did in his time with the Bengals. Pratt has a history of playing really good games versus the Chiefs, the change of scenery should allow him to play with renewed focus if the LV lifestyle doesn't creep in on him.

If he's back from injury: Cappa may be too injured to get back to form and ultimately, I think that's why he struggled here and we got rid of him.

Always liked him and hope for the best, but he may be done.

[c766]

The Raiders paid 4M to acquire one of the worst LBs in the NFL.

[BigRed75]

(Yesterday, 10:30 AM)ochocincos Wrote: I personally loved the draft pick of Germaine Pratt back in 2019. I thought he was a well-rounded LB who could cover and stop the run.
While he did miss some tackles, I thought he was better overall than some gave him credit for.
With that said, I really, really like Burks and think Knight/Carter can become quality LBs in the NFL too.
I wish Pratt luck on his new team.

Drafting Pratt in the 3rd round was definitely a solid move.  He was worthy of being on the field as a two down backer but let's not pretend he could actually be even average in coverage because he was downright awful in that regard.  He lobbied to stay on the field and Lou allowed it which was a huge mistake and thus why both are now gone (thankfully).

[*Synric*]

(Yesterday, 10:15 AM)c766 Wrote: He was in the bottom 7% of worst starting LBs in the NFL last year. 

LBs are only as good as the DL in front of them.

[c766]

(Yesterday, 03:38 PM)Synric Wrote: LBs are only as good as the DL in front of them.

Lol. 

[*ochocincos*]

(Yesterday, 03:25 PM)BigRed75 Wrote: Drafting Pratt in the 3rd round was definitely a solid move.  He was worthy of being on the field as a two down backer but let's not pretend he could actually be even average in coverage because he was downright awful in that regard.  He lobbied to stay on the field and Lou allowed it which was a huge mistake and thus why both are now gone (thankfully).

I was referring to what I felt his coverage abilities were coming out of college, not what he displayed during his NFL career.
He was fast for a LB (4.57), was a former safety, and had range.

He was not good in coverage last year, but he was the top LB in coverage in 2022 according to PFF, scoring 90.1.
PFF gave him a 67.8 passer rating allowed that year.
And in 2023, he wasn't quite as good, but still had a respectable 65.3 coverage grade with 86.6 passer rating allowed.
2021 and 2024 he had a passer rating allowed >100.

Combine some years of solid coverage performance with some not-good years but still overall pretty good against the run, he was still a solid LB who also made some pivotal plays here and there.
I would definitely prefer Logan Wilson in coverage over Pratt, but I liked Pratt as a LB2/3.
I thought honestly Burks and Wilson in coverage and Pratt on run downs or used to attack the LOS in 3-LB situations was a sound plan.

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

(Yesterday, 07:28 PM)ochocincos Wrote: He was not good in coverage last year, but he was the top LB in coverage in 2022 according to PFF, scoring 90.1.

Because 2022 was the last year he was used as the 2-down LB he is. He got 57.5% more targets in 2023 and 77.5% more targets in 2024 than he did in 2022 because he wasn't on the field as much in 2022. If you take a player off the field for the majority of the plays he's weakest at, he'll be better overall. It's less opportunity for him to screw up or get exposed.

250-350 extra snaps per year (~17-18 more snaps per game) of the down he's weakest at makes a large difference. Even more so when he's 250lbs and his weakness are the plays where he has to run the most distance.

[THE PISTONS]

(Yesterday, 07:47 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Because 2022 was the last year he was used as the 2-down LB he is. He got 57.5% more targets in 2023 and 77.5% more targets in 2024 than he did in 2022 because he wasn't on the field as much in 2022. If you take a player off the field for the majority of the plays he's weakest at, he'll be better overall. It's less opportunity for him to screw up or get exposed.

250-350 extra snaps per year (~17-18 more snaps per game) of the down he's weakest at makes a large difference. Even more so when he's 250lbs and his weakness are the plays where he has to run the most distance.

Yep. And the interior of the DLine declined when Reader got hurt and then left.

But, Pratt did look slow at times, but it was somewhat usage as he was getting exposed.

I do think he developed some bad habits. He went for the strip a lot instead of just wrapping up and tackling.

[*ochocincos*]

(Yesterday, 07:47 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Because 2022 was the last year he was used as the 2-down LB he is. He got 57.5% more targets in 2023 and 77.5% more targets in 2024 than he did in 2022 because he wasn't on the field as much in 2022. If you take a player off the field for the majority of the plays he's weakest at, he'll be better overall. It's less opportunity for him to screw up or get exposed.

250-350 extra snaps per year (~17-18 more snaps per game) of the down he's weakest at makes a large difference. Even more so when he's 250lbs and his weakness are the plays where he has to run the most distance.

And that's fair, but that's not what I was saying.

I was just saying Pratt had a couple good years where he allowed a lower passer rating and good coverage score.
If it was because he was on more limited snaps in coverage, that's fine.
He still performed well those years, and thus deserved to be praised for it.
He had some quality years for the Bengals and I was happy when they drafted him.

What I suspect happened is Golden wanted to move Pratt back into his old role after bringing in Burks, and Pratt did not want to do that.
So the Bengals decided to go out and get what they felt was a 2-down LB to replace him for the role they wanted him to play.
They then got a 2nd LB in the draft (Carter) likely because he was, according to reports of their board, way higher as BPA than they had the other available guys in Rd 4.

[TecmoBengals]

Pratt had some good moments as a Bengal, but I think it's was for the best to move on from him. The Carr interception was a fun moment in recent Bengals history.