Jan 27, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders coach Pete Carroll at press conference at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Jan 27, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders coach Pete Carroll at press conference at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Pete Carroll Explains Decision To Release LB Germaine Pratt

Originally posted on Raiders Newswire | By Corey Hansford | Last updated Oct 8, 2025 11:37 PM ET

Following the Las Vegas Raiders’ embarrassing blowout loss to the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, the team announced the release of linebacker Germaine Pratt, whom the team signed as a free agent this offseason.

Pratt was coming off a career year with the Cincinnati Bengals, having recorded 143 tackles last season along with two interceptions and two fumble recoveries. The hope was that Pratt would help elevate a Raiders linebacking corps that lost multiple big-time contributors from last year, but that just wasn’t the case.

The first signs of a split between the two sides came before the Raiders’ contest against the Colts, as Pratt did not travel with the team to Indianapolis. After the game, head coach Pete Carroll addressed Pratt’s absence via Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal:

Pete Carroll on LB Germaine Pratt not traveling with the @Raiders to Indianapolis: “Just decided to go with the other guys”

— Vincent Bonsignore (@VinnyBonsignore) October 5, 2025

Pratt started the first four games of the season for the Raiders, totaling 25 tackles and two passes defensed. However, his Pro Football Focus grade of 56.7 ranked just 88th out of 132 linebackers, and the Raiders just didn’t feel they were getting what they needed from him on the field.

Following the announcement of Pratt’s release, Carroll again gave a very succinct explanation of the Raiders’ decision, via Nick Shook of NFL.com:

“We just thought it was time to go in a different direction,” Carroll told reporters.

The Raiders went with just two linebackers to start against the Colts in Devin White and Elandon Roberts, and it will be interesting to see how Carroll goes about figuring out the best way to handle things for this Raiders defense. Overall, the unit hasn’t been awful, as they rank 19th in the league in yards allowed. However, a major issue has been that they’ve been put in difficult positions by the offense, which has committed 10 turnovers through the first five games.

Regardless, the Raiders and Pratt weren’t a right fit, and the franchise didn’t hesitate in cutting him loose.

Pete Carroll processing Raiders 1-4 start ‘poorly’

Pete Carroll came out prior to the start of the season, boldly proclaiming that he expected the Raiders to win a lot of games this season. Obviously, that hasn’t been the case as the Raiders have lost four straight games since their season-opening win, and Carroll admitted that he is processing his team’s slow start ‘poorly.’

This article first appeared on Raiders Newswire and was syndicated with permission.

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