The Denver Broncos have to totally remake their ILB room in the coming offseason, and a great trade target for this room just fell into their laps. And what makes this even better is that this deals with the Cincinnati Bengals, the team that finished right under them in the AFC in 2024.
The Bengals getting weaker does help the Broncos out a bit, and one of their best defensive players, ILB Germaine Pratt, requested a trade on Wednesday:
#Bengals defensive captain and leading tackler Germaine Pratt has requested a trade, sources tell me and @TomPelissero.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 12, 2025
Cincinnati has been devoting resources to keeping their offensive core together and Pratt was close to DC Lou Anarumo, who was fired after last season. pic.twitter.com/NuP0TmxIZv
Ian Rapoport sums up the trade request pretty succinctly here, so you have to wonder just how dug-in Pratt is for this trade request. He's 28 years old, turning 29 in May and has spent his entire career with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Pratt has been a full-time starter since the 2020 NFL Season and has not missed a start since 2022. In 2024, Pratt had a career-high 143 total tackles along with two interceptions, six passes defended, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, five tackles for loss, and four QB hits.
He also allowed an 88.1 passer rating when in coverage, according to Pro Football Reference.
This would be a very wise move for the Denver Broncos to make, and with how cheap the Bengals are, you have to wonder if this franchise will subtract from their defense to ensure they can keep Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins together for the long-term. For the Denver Broncos, they must get better at ILB in 2025, and there is reason to believe that the team will trot out an entirely new unit.
The Broncos could let Cody Barton leave in free agency and cut Alex Singleton. They did part ways with Greg Manusky, the ILB coach in 2024, so a full-scale reset could be on the horizon. There are also some decent free agents out there at the position that the Broncos could target including Ernest Jones, Dre Greenlaw, Jamien Sherwood, and Zack Baun.
I do not anticipate the Denver Broncos will hand out two major free agency contracts at ILB, but I am thinking that at least one major move is coming. Germaine Pratt would probably fall somewhere right in the middle - he's a decent player who would elevate the room but would also do best if there was someone like Ernest Jones or Sherwood next to him.
The Denver Broncos should have options to fix their ILB room in the 2025 NFL Season.