While much of the focus is on extensions for fellow 2020 draft picks Joe Burrow and Tee Higgins, linebacker Logan Wilson has proven a valuable asset as the leader in the middle of the defense. If he doesn’t get something done before the season, Wilson will be playing to earn it like Pratt did.
This season also could be big for guys behind him like Akeem Davis-Gaither
Let’s take a look at the past performances of the Bengals’ current linebackers, and how they are expected to stack up in 2022 with help from some analysis and data from Pro Football Focus. This is the fifth in a series of pieces breaking down each position group for the Bengals. Next up: Defensive backs.
LINEBACKERS ON THE ROSTER
Projected starters: Logan Wilson, Germaine Pratt
Reserves: Akeem Davis-Gaither, Markus Bailey, Joe Bachie
Others in the mix: Shaka Heyward, Keandre Jones, Jaylen Moody, Tyler Murray
WILSON BY THE NUMBERS
2022 stats: 123 total tackles, three tackles for loss, one interception, four passes defended, one forced fumble, 2.5 sack in 15 regular-season games.
PFF grades for 2022: Wilson ranked 17th of 81 linebackers in defense grade (74.6). He was 29th of 85 linebackers in run defense grade (70.6) and posted a pass rush grade of 64.2, which ranked 35th of 49 qualifying linebackers, and coverage grade of 74.0, which ranked 14th of 70 linebackers.
PFF ranking for 2023: Wilson is ranked among the “Tier 5″ linebackers and at No. 24 on PFF’s Top 32 list at that position.
PRATT BY THE NUMBERS
2022 stats: 99 total tackles, six tackles for loss, two interceptions, 10 passes defended, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery in 15 regular-season games
PFF grades for 2022: Pratt ranked 11th of 81 linebackers in defense grade (78.4). He was 46th of 85 linebackers in run defense grade (64.3) and posted a pass rush grade of 70.8, which ranked 15th of 49 qualifying linebackers, and coverage grade of 87.2, which ranked third of 70 linebackers.
PFF ranking for 2022: Pratt was not among the 32 linebackers ranked by PFF last year but is among the “Tier 5″ linebackers, at No. 20 on the PFF Top 32, going into 2023.
FURTHER ANALYSIS
While the Bengals have been adding to the defensive line and secondary through free agency the past few years and adding pieces through the past two drafts, especially in the secondary, they’ve relied heavily on the crew of linebackers selected in Zac Taylor’s first two drafts.
Initially, that group was considered the handicap of the defense but the past two years, the linebackers have been consistently good and Pratt’s return shows further investment in the developing product from those first two drafts under this regime.
Pratt and Wilson saw tremendous improvement from 2021 to 2022, especially Pratt, who had grades in 2021 ranging from as low as 47.1 in pass rush grade to a high of 56.2 in coverage grade. All of his grades were 64.3 or higher, and his coverage grade went up almost 30 points.
With both starters coming off career years, the Bengals linebacker corps is listed at fifth in the PFF unit rankings in which analyst Dalton Wasserman considers San Francisco’s linebackers as the best in the league.
“Cincinnati’s starting duo of Germaine Pratt and Logan Wilson enjoyed breakout seasons in 2022, with both players earning career-high PFF grades,” Wasserman wrote. “Pratt’s 87.2 coverage grade ranked third among all qualified linebackers. Wilson made improvements across the board, putting up run-defense and coverage grades above 70.0 and contributing 16 pressures as a blitzer.
“Akeem Davis-Gaither and Markus Bailey serve as useful depth pieces who are homegrown and will be under the age of 27 when the season kicks off. The Bengals have built an excellent young group that glues together a terrific front seven.”
In the PFF individual player rankings, Trevor Sikkema put Wilson and Pratt in a tier that “highlights talented players, though ones who can be inconsistent.”
“Pratt graded out well on the surface level but actually finished the season with more negatively graded plays than positive ones,” Sikkema wrote. “Still, it was a step in the right direction for him. ... As for Wilson, he improved on his coverage impact this past season, just not quite as much as his teammate Pratt.”
Another big year for both players will be important for the Bengals, especially with a lot of new guys behind them in the secondary.
About the Author