Lost in all the Trey Hendrickson trade buzz for the Cincinnati Bengals is the fact that linebacker Germaine Pratt also requested a trade.
That’s something beginning to come back into the limelight a bit now that a Hendrickson trade seems impossible.
Replacing Pratt is something Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox solved when outlining one move each NFL contender should still make. The suggestion is simple — find a way to trade for Green Bay Packers linebacker Quay Walker:
“Walker, who tallied 102 tackles, 2.5 sacks and nine tackles for loss last season, would be a great young addition to Cincinnati’s new-look defense. He’s roughly four years younger than Pratt and could become a long-term piece of Cincinnati’s puzzle.”
Walker, a first-round pick in 2022, probably isn’t a guy the Packers would just easily let go. But as mentioned in the writeup, the fifth-year option on linebackers is a little tricky because pricey edge rushers get lumped into that group too.
Cap isn’t really a major concern for the Bengals. Trade compensation and fit are, though, and it’s hard to say if the team would want to roll the dice and put themselves in this spot with a guy who needs a new contract and played in just nine games last year.
There’s also the matter of radio silence on the Pratt topic. After losing Akeem Davis-Gaither in free agency and signing Oren Burks, perhaps there’s still a chance for a Pratt return under coordinator Al Golden.
But yes, generally speaking, the Bengals adding more young, high-end talent with so much cash already invested in the offensive side of the ball should be the goal.
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