Raiders Release Veteran LB Germaine Pratt: Here's What It Means

The Las Vegas Raiders are releasing one of their veteran players on the defensive side of the ball.

Oct 5, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll looks on against the Indianapolis Colts during the first quarter at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders' season is off to a troubled start. The Raiders, since winning the first game of the season, have now lost four straight games. It is the way that they are losing that is becoming concerning.

It has not been a good showing at all by this Raiders team early on, and with this new regime that was supposed to bring change and have this Raiders season looking different. So far, it has not looked good, and it is starting to go down in a hurry.

On Monday, after their Week 5 loss to the Indianapolis Colts, the Raiders made one surprising move to their roster. The Silver and Black released veteran linebacker Germaine Pratt. Pratt was brought in this offseason to give the Raiders a veteran presence in the linebacking room and on the field. He was one of the Raiders' starting linebackers, and it is just a move that will get people talking about what is going on with the Raiders. Pratt did not travel with the team in Week 5, and now we know why.

Raiders Release Veteran Linebacker

Raiders head coach Pete Carroll was asked about Pratt in Monday's press conference and asked if Pratt would be practicing and playing in Week 6 against the Tennessee Titans.

"No, he has been released," said Carroll. "Yes, I think it was just time to go in a different direction."

Carroll was also asked about how they will go about replacing Pratt moving forward.

"We have Malcolm Koonce, Charles Snowden, and Jamal Adams all come to mind to help play the same spot. So those guys will work out for us."

Las Vegas Raiders LB Germaine Pratt | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

"The Raiders' defense has also struggled the last few games, after starting the season strong. Now the Raiders will have to figure out how to get back on track because they are nowhere near where they wanted to be when they came into this season. A lot of this is going to fall on Carroll.

Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham has done a great job in the past mixing players in positions of need. He is now going to have to do that with Pratt gone.

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