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When looking at the list of Pro Bowl snubs this year for the Cincinnati Bengals, elite nose tackle DJ Reader sticks out as the obvious talking point.
Reader is one of the game’s best defenders outright, yet somehow landed as a fifth alternate when it was revealed that Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Trey Hendrickson were named to the all-star game.
Yet someone else might have an even bigger claim to the snub title.
That someone is linebacker Germaine Pratt, whose breakout year makes him the most improved player on the roster. Through 13 games, he’s second in total tackles behind Logan Wilson at 92. He’s also got one sack, six tackles for loss, seven passes defended, two interceptions and one forced fumble and recovery.
That’s enough to make him the highest-graded linebacker in the entire conference at PFF:
Germaine Pratt is the highest graded LB in the AFC.
He didn’t make the Pro Bowl 😬 pic.twitter.com/63Xj8YI4Fp
— PFF CIN Bengals (@PFF_Bengals) December 22, 2022
It’s also why so many fans raised an eyebrow when Pratt took to social media to talk about his usage on third downs — before he heads to free agency next offseason. Coaches later shot this down and it’s a non-issue, but it makes sense for fans to worry.
Pratt might not make the Pro Bowl, but the team surely sees his improvement, which could mean the front office takes a slice of the cap pie away from Jessie Bates and puts it in front of him next offseason.
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