Colts Reunite With LB Germaine Pratt

The Colts have officially announced the addition, which comes as a result of their linebacking corps’ early season struggles. After the Colts let Pratt walk and and traded fellow starter Zaire Franklin to the Packers in the offseason, they picked up Akeem Davis-Gaither on a one-year, $2.73MM deal in free agency and spent multiple draft picks on linebackers. The moves have not panned out for Indianapolis, which is off to a 2-3 start and ranks near the bottom of the NFL in several defensive categories.

Davis-Gaither easily leads Colts linebackers in defensive snap share (94.17%) and has recorded 44 tackles, but he has not contributed any quarterback hits, sacks or turnovers. He rates as Pro Football Focus’ 42nd-ranked off-ball LB out of 72 qualifiers, while rookies CJ Allen (second round) and Bryce Boettcher (fourth) have not contributed much.

At No. 52 overall, Allen was the Colts’ first pick in this year’s draft. Allen looked like a Day 1 starter at the time, but hamstring and calf problems put the former Georgia standout behind the 8-ball during the summer. Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo admitted the issues “delayed” Allen’s development, and he has taken a meager 35 defensive snaps and made just four tackles this season. Boettcher, a fourth-rounder from Oregon, has been on the field for 90 defensive plays and made 21 tackles.

Allen and Boettcher combined for 35 snaps in a 34-22 loss to the Steelers on Sunday, when starter Jaylon Carlies was out with injured ribs. Carlies does have an interception over four appearances, though he has only added 14 tackles. In PFF’s estimation, Carlies has been the 10th-worst qualifying LB in the league this year.

Although the 30-year-old Pratt isn’t on the Colts’ 53-man roster, he could be a practice squad call-up as early as Sunday against the winless Titans. After the Raiders released Pratt last season, he joined the Colts on Oct. 8 and made an 11-tackle debut with the club four days later. While reuniting with Anarumo, whom he first played under in Cincinnati from 2019-24, Pratt finished his first Colts go-around with 101 tackles, two fumble recoveries, a forced fumble and a sack.