Following back-to-back seasons with a Super Bowl and AFC Championship appearance, the Cincinnati Bengals have since missed the postseason in three consecutive seasons. Head coach Zac Taylor blamed injuries, saying, “I think what you were missing was your highest-paid player on offense and defense, and that’s challenging holistically.”Some could argue against that point and point to the fact that Cincinnati had the third-worst scoring defense in the NFL.
The Bengals’ defense was an issue in the 2024 season as well. In 2024, Cincinnati had the eighth-worst scoring defense in the league, and as a result, the team fired defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo. Anarumo became the Colts’ defensive coordinator in 2025 and began receiving head-coaching interviews after the season. Meanwhile, the Bengals’ defense got worse, but the team opted to stick with defensive coordinator Al Golden.
Former Cincinnati Bengals Player Puts Team on Blast
One member of the 2024 Bengals who was part of their Super Bowl team was linebacker Germaine Pratt. Pratt was part of the Bengals from 2019 to 2024. After being drafted by Cincinnati in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft, Pratt started 88 games with the Bengals. Despite being a team captain and a core member of the team, Pratt’s tenure ended badly in Cincinnati.
As he entered the final year of his contract, Pratt requested a trade from the team. Instead, the Bengals released him in a move that freed up $5.6 million in cap savings. Despite reuniting with Lou Anarumo on the Colts in 2025. Now, it seems Pratt is still upset with his former team. When someone on X posted a video of draft prospect Darrell Jackson Jr. and linked him to the Bengals, Pratt took the opportunity and replied, “Sorry they won’t draft no dogs on the dline.” His issue is likely not with the Bengals coaching staff, as he posted a picture with former Bengals coach Lou Anarumo after the season.
While Pratt is a free agent, it does not seem likely that a reunion is in the works any time soon. Pro Football Focus graded Pratt as the 39th-best linebacker in the NFL in 2025.
Bengals Upcoming Draft
While Pratt seems to think the Bengals won’t select a good defensive lineman in the draft, that does not seem to be the popular line of thinking. ESPN outlined the Bengals’ top priority in the offseason and deemed it to be their lack of pass rush. All-Pro pass rusher Trey Hendrickson is likely to depart in free agency, so the Bengals will have to make up for his lost production going forward.
Cincinnati has selected a defender with their first selection in three out of their last four drafts, and after this year’s defensive efforts, it would not be surprising if they go that route again. The Draft Network predicted Cincinnati drafting defensive lineman Peter Woods out of Clemson. They wrote, “The Cincinnati Bengals are a full-blown disaster on defense. Trey Hendrickson is probably departing in free agency. The defensive line needs a lot more talent opposite the raw Shemar Stewart. Clemson’s Peter Woods has the skill set needed to potentially develop into a dominant pass-rushing 3-tech.”
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