Another Blow to Bengals After Joe Burrow Destroys Front Office With a Strong Message

The Bengals have been locking down their offensive core this offseason, but their defense? Kinda looking like a mess. Just when it seemed like things were settling, another shake-up is on the way. One of their top defensive leaders wants out, and yeah, this could get real messy for Cincinnati.

NFL insider Ian Rapoport just dropped a bomb, saying, “Bengals defensive captain and leading tackler Germaine Pratt has requested a trade.” Pratt, 28, went absolutely feral last season—racking up 143 tackles (the most by a Bengal since Vontaze Burfict in 2013), snagging two picks, and forcing two fumbles. But now? He’s looking for the exit. And let’s be real, it’s probably got a lot to do with the Bengals firing his guy, defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo. With their defense already in shambles (they ranked 25th last season), Cincy brought back Al Golden to fix things—but if Pratt actually dips, it’s gonna make things worse.

So, where’s he headed? The Indianapolis Colts are looking like the team to watch. The connection is obvious—Anarumo just took over as their defensive coordinator, and Germaine Pratt thrived under him in Cincy. Plus, the Colts are in desperate need of a linebacker, especially with E.J. Speed about to hit free agency. If Indy wants to level up their defense, trading for Pratt is basically a no-brainer.

But hold up—it’s not that easy. Germaine Pratt is elite against the run, but his pass coverage? Eh, kinda mid at times. Then there’s the money part—he’s in the final year of a three-year, $20.3 million contract, so any team trading for him has to figure out the financials. The Bengals could save $5.85 million by moving him, but losing a leader like Pratt could low-key haunt them. If the Colts—or anyone else—are down to make a move, this could be one of the biggest trades of the offseason.

Joe Burrow throws shade at Bengals’ front office

Joe Burrow isn’t just the face of the Bengals—he’s out here dropping hints about how the front office should handle business, too. In a recent interview, he was breaking down what a restructured contract actually means, explaining how teams can shuffle money around to lower cap hits. But then, he hit ’em with a little side-eye moment: “The Eagles are paying everybody. That seems like the way—whatever they’re doing.”

Basically, Burrow is looking at how Philly is bag-securing their stars—Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith—while still making the salary cap work, and he’s like… so what’s stopping us? The Bengals have some major choices to make with Tee Higgins, Ja’Marr Chase, and other key players, and Burrow’s making it clear—he expects the team to figure it out and run it back. Looks like that dig from Snoop Dogg at the NFL honors must have really stung, huh?

Cincy’s got 23 free agents to deal with, and Burrow has already hinted he’d tweak his own contract if it helps keep the squad together. But let’s be real—he’s probably not trying to do all the heavy lifting here. That Eagles comment? Yeah, that’s a not-so-subtle ‘y’all need to step up’ directed at the front office.

With Burrow locked into $219M guaranteed from his $275M bag, the Bengals need to get their act together fast. If their franchise QB is already throwing shade at their cap management, they better prove they’re serious about keeping this team stacked. Otherwise, Burrow’s message is clear—other teams are figuring it out, so what’s the hold-up, Cincy?