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BIG MOVE: Cowboys Want Former Third-Round LB Just 12 Hours After Raiders Cut Him

BIG MOVE: Cowboys Want Former Third-Round LB Just 12 Hours After Raiders Cut Him

The Dallas Cowboys wasted no time after the Las Vegas Raiders released veteran linebacker Germaine Pratt, reportedly agreeing to terms with him just 12 hours later, according to league sources.

Pratt — a 2019 third-round pick out of NC State — became a free agent after being released from the Raiders’ active roster ahead of their matchup with the Indianapolis Colts. His departure came amid growing criticism of his fit within Pete Carroll’s defensive system.

With Jack Sanborn sidelined by injury and Micah Parsons recently traded, Dallas moved quickly to fill a leadership void in the heart of its defense. Pratt is expected to compete immediately for rotational snaps and bring physicality and experience to the Cowboys’ run-stopping unit.

During his five seasons in the NFL, most notably with the Cincinnati Bengals, Pratt built a reputation as a tough, sideline-to-sideline defender — amassing over 450 tackles, 4 interceptions, and 3 forced fumbles. His skill set fits perfectly within Dan Quinn’s aggressive, pressure-heavy defensive scheme.

A team source described the move as both “strategic and urgent,” emphasizing that the Cowboys wanted to “add a veteran voice” ahead of their Week 6 matchup vs. the Chargers.

If Pratt passes his physical, the deal is expected to be finalized within the next 24 hours — marking another savvy midseason addition for Dallas as they gear up for a heated NFC playoff race.

Jerry Jones Speaks Out, Criticizes the Controversy Surrounding the Cowboys WR After the Loss to the Lions
DALLAS — Jerry Jones has finally had enough. In a fiery radio interview on 105.3 The Fan Tuesday morning, the Cowboys owner publicly ripped into star wide receiver George Pickens for his explosive, now-deleted Instagram beef with Richard Sherman following the Thanksgiving nightmare against the Detroit Lions. “I love everything George has done this year,” Jones said. “But let me be very clear — I don’t want to see him sitting on Instagram arguing with Richard Sherman or anybody else. Put the phone down, stop the social media nonsense, and focus on playing football. That’s what we pay him for.” Mic drop. The 82-year-old owner rarely calls out his own players by name in public, making this one of the sharpest rebukes in recent Cowboys history. Quick recap of the chaos: Lions game: CeeDee Lamb gets hurt and leaves early → Pickens disappears with a miserable 5 catches for 37 yards. Richard Sherman goes on TV and says Pickens “quit on routes” and showed zero effort. Pickens claps back with a savage (and quickly deleted) Instagram story: “Old man still talking.” Internet explodes. Despite the ugly performance, Pickens still leads the Cowboys in every major receiving stat (78 receptions, 1,179 yards, 8 TDs), but Jerry Jones just drew a line in the sand: the social media wars end today. “I have zero concern about George competing and helping us win games on the field,” Jones continued. “My only concern is him wasting time and energy on this Instagram back-and-forth instead of turning the page.” Will this public dressing-down light a fire under Pickens… or pour gasoline on an already raging controversy? One thing is certain — every snap this Sunday will be scrutinized like never before. Is Jerry Jones right to go nuclear on his star WR? Or did he just make the drama ten times worse?