After a brutal four-win campaign in 2024, the Las Vegas Raiders have massively upgraded their front office and coaching staff ahead of the 2025 NFL season.
While the roster has certainly gotten better in key positions like quarterback, running back and wide receiver, the back half of the defense has been completely overhauled by new general manager John Spytek and head coach Pete Carroll.
The departures of starting linebackers Robert Spillane and Divine Deablo were tough pills to swallow for Raider Nation, but the new regime did not put a premium on these players as they looked to rebuild the roster.
Las Vegas Raiders sign linebacker Germaine Pratt
On Monday, the Cincinnati Bengals released linebacker Germaine Pratt, which provided the Raiders with an easy upgrade at a position they needed help at. The fan base rallied around the idea of signing him, as he is not only an experienced and successful player, but he has ties with current Raiders Jakobi Meyers and A.J. Cole from their college days at North Carolina State.
Just two days later, the franchise did Raider Nation a solid by signing Pratt to a one-year deal worth up to $4.78 million. Fox Sports NFL Insider Jordan Schultz was the first to report the news, and he even added that several teams were in hot pursuit of Pratt before he agreed to a deal with Las Vegas.
Pratt comes to the Raiders with six years of NFL experience under his belt. He was a key piece of the Bengals' defense that went to the Super Bowl in 2021, and he was a team captain last year in Cincinnati.
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While the exact details of why the Bengals released him are unclear, it has worked massively to the Raiders' benefit. Pratt has 616 career tackles, including 32 for a loss, as well as 3.5 sacks, seven interceptions and seven passes defended.
He will be an immediate starter in Las Vegas under defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, and he will likely supplant newly-added free agent Elandon Roberts for the defense's green dot. Pratt's addition also means that the writing is on the wall for veterans Devin White and Jaylon Smith, both of whom signed non-guaranteed deals with the Raiders this offseason.
Las Vegas may have been looked at as a rebuilding team this season, but several of the moves that they have made would indicate that they are all-in on a playoff run in 2025. Pratt is the latest addition that signals the Raiders' intentions this year, which is that they are coming for the AFC West crown.