The Bengals finally drafted a linebacker Dre Kirkpatrick Jersey , but it was worth the wait?"The first round was exciting, the second round was confusing, and in the third round, the Bengals finally found a player to fill their biggest need ,and it was a good one.After years of neglect and stop-gap players like Kevin Minter and Karlos Dansby, the house of cards that was the linebacker position finally collapsed in 2018. The position was a huge weakness full of players who struggled in coverage, struggled to tackle, and struggled to stay healthy.Now, the Bengals have made a move to change that by adding North Carolina State linebacker Germaine Pratt with their third-round pick of the 2019 NFL Draft.What Pratt brings to the BengalsSpeed: The Bengals needed an athletic upgrade at linebacker, and they got it with Pratt. His testing is okay, but his play speed is much better. He is always flying around and never seems to be out of a play. He has the speed to make plays all from sideline to sideline, whether it be in the run game or the pass game.Tackling: Getting to the ball carrier does not do much good if you can’t make the tackle. The Bengals’ entire defense struggled to make tackles in 2018. Fortunately, they added a linebacker who does not struggle in that area. Pratt is an excellent tackler. He hits hard and high bringing his hips through the tackle for power. Pratt is equally skilled as a tackler in the open field or in the gap.Coverage: Pratt is very good coverage linebacker, which is something that the Bengals lack. He has the skill to play effectively in zone coverage and the athletic ability to cover tight ends and big slots. This fills a big need for the Bengals who have struggled with underneath coverage.Upside: In just his first year as a starter and second year playing the position, Pratt had 104 tackles. He is really just learning to play linebacker Billy Price Jersey , which means he has plenty of room to grow. This was already a very good pick, but it could prove even better as he develops in the Bengals defense.Why the Bengals picked PrattNeed: Linebacker was the Bengals biggest need coming into the draft. They likely would have drafted a linebacker earlier, but they missed out on the Devin’s in Round 1, and there was not great value at the position in Round 2. Pratt will have a chance to start as a rookie because the team really needs a shot of life on defense and a long-term solution at linebacker.Skill: On film alone, I actually graded Pratt above Devin Bush, but Bush’s combine obviously makes him stand out. Pratt is a complete linebacker who makes plays in every facet of the game. He has all the tools to step in and contribute from day one in the Queen City.Versatility: Pratt has played inside and outside linebacker over the last two seasons after starting is collegiate career as a safety. He is also flexible in his role. He had two interceptions as a junior and 6 sacks in his senior year, proving that he can frustrate a quarterback in multiple ways.24 players waived by Bengals are eligible for the practice squad Following roster cuts on Saturday, NFL teams can begin signing players to their practice squads on Sunday, September 2, starting at 1:00 p.m. ET. There’s a lot to know about the specifics of the NFL practice squad, which you can learn here.Among the players waived by the Bengals on Saturday are 24 guys with practice squad eligibility. But before signing to a practice squad, they’ll all need to move through the waiver wire, where teams other than the Bengals can claim these players and sign them to their 53-man rosters.Here are the players the Bengals cut on Saturday who could end up on the practice squad. This list is started off by Moritz B枚hringer, who is part of the International Player Pathway Program and is with the Bengals on a roster exemption*. That means he can join the practice squad as the 11th player, in addition to the traditional 10 man practice squad.Practice squad eligible playersTE Moritz B枚hringer (first-year player Jessie Bates Jersey , Aalen [Germany])LB Brandon Bell (first-year player, Penn State)S Tyrice Beverette (rookie, Stony Brook)WR Devonte Boyd (rookie, Nevada-Las Vegas)DT Andrew Brown (rookie, Virginia)K Jonathan Brown (first-year player, Louisville)HB Quinton Flowers (rookie, South Florida)HB Jordan Franks (rookie, Central Florida)CB C.J. Goodwin (third-player, California [Pa.])HB Brian Hill (second-year player, Wyoming)LB Junior Joseph (rookie, Connecticut)C Brad Lundblade (rookie, Oklahoma State)WR Jared Murphy (rookie, Miami [Ohio])OT Justin Murray (first-year player, Cincinnati)DT Chris Okoye (rookie, Ferris State; injured Sam Hubbard Jersey , may revert to Reserve/Injured)OT Kent Perkins (first-year player, Texas)DT Simeyon Robinson (rookie, James Madison)WR Kayaune Ross (rookie, Kentucky)CB KeiVarae Russell (third-year player, Notre Dame)WR Ka’Raun White (rookie, West Virginia)WR Kermit Whitfield (first-year player, Florida State)DT Eddy Wilson (rookie, Purdue)QB Logan Woodside (rookie, Toledo)LB Chris Worley (rookie, Ohio State)Bengals practice squad projection following roster cuts:QB Logan WoodsideWR Kermit WhitfieldHB Quinton Flowers**OT Kent PerkinsDT Andrew BrownDT Eddy WilsonLB Brandon BellLB Junior JosephS Tyrice BeveretteCB C.J. GoodwinTE Moritz B枚hringer***This projection assumes Brian Hill gets claimed on waivers by another team. If he does not, he would likely take Flowers’ place on the practice squad.