The Indianapolis Colts are signing veteran linebacker Germaine Pratt to a one-year deal, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The former third-round pick in 2019 spent his first six seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals and Lou Anarumo. Pratt now reunites with Anarumo in Indianapolis,
and the expectation is for him to join the Colts’ 53-man roster right away, according to The Athletic’s James Boyd.
Pratt, 29, originally signed with the Las Vegas Raiders back in June. In four games with the Raiders, the veteran linebacker recorded 25 tackles and one tackle-for-loss. Following Las Vegas’ 40-6 loss to Indianapolis, Pratt, who did not travel with his team for the Week 5 matchup, was eventually released.
Outside of veteran linebacker Zaire Franklin, Indianapolis has been looking for more consistency from the position, and the options next to Franklin haven’t been reliable enough to keep their starting roles.
The Colts have been fortunate that their poor linebacker play hasn’t caught up to them more through the first five weeks of the season. Signing Pratt, a veteran knows Anarumo’s defensive scheme very well, is the team’s latest attempt at trying to find a more viable solution at the position this season.
Pratt’s best season under Anarumo came in 2024. He recorded 143 total tackles (80 solo) along with two forced fumbles, two interceptions and six pass deflections. Indianapolis is hopeful that the established veteran helps bring more necessary stability to the linebacker position for the remainder of the 2025 season.
