Now that the 2025 offseason has officially begun, teams can fully immerse themselves in the upcoming free agency period and develop a good plan about who to pursue. The Patriots are the luckiest organization in the league, with the highest cap space to use and plenty of roster holes to address, making the situation for Mike Vrabel and Co. a great one to start with.
Several top names have already been touted as the likeliest they will go after once free agency begins next month, with Tee Higgins leading the way as he is expected to test the market for the first time in his career. Other players haven't been as prominently discussed when talking about who the Patriots might be interested in, but fortunately for them, there are more names to be added to those available who could be great fits for the team.
One of those players just requested a trade, despite being won the Bengals and competing for the Super Bowl almost every year for the past few seasons.
NFL insider Ian Rapoport revealed on Wednesday afternoon that linebacker Germaine Pratt requested a trade, with the firing of defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo as a primary reason for wanting out of Cincinnati.
He shoots up on the list of desirable players for the Patriots to pursue, assuming the Bengals will grant his request, and there are a lot of reasons the Patriots should seriously consider getting a deal done.
#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
The Patriots have every reason in the book to make a trade for Germaine Pratt
The defense has been an under-discussed part of the Patriots roster in need of serious improvement after the 2024 season. While the offense was center stage because of the addition of Drake Maye, the defense didn't help much throughout the year and took a complete nosedive from how impressive they were in 2023.
That's led to many mock drafts, having the Patriots select the best pass rusher of the incoming class, Penn State's Abdul Carter, with the fourth overall pick, to immediately boost their defensive line and get them back to being a dominant force like they once were.
Adding a guy like Pratt to the linebacker room would put the front seven over the top, as the linebacker position is another weakness on the current roster. The 28 year old was among some of the best at the position in the league last year, ranking 10th in overall tackles and was one of just three players with 140+ tackles and 6+ turnover plays during the season.
Pratt is incredibly athletic and has improved every season since the Bengals drafted him in 2019. His experience on the field and as a captain would be a massive boost to the Patriots' roster and locker room, and they can afford to make the trade right away.
His contract only goes through the 2025 season, so they could easily get an extension done as soon as the trade is complete. Because building in the trenches is expected to be a big part of the Patriots' offseason plan, trading for a guy like Pratt is a no-brainer, and they should be on the phone immediately to inquire.