By Paul Dehner Jr., Dianna Russini, Jon Machota and Ben Burrows
The Dallas Cowboys made a trade deadline move, swinging a deal for Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Logan Wilson on Tuesday in exchange for a seventh-round pick in 2026, team sources told The Athletic.
Jerry Jones teased a move for an unnamed player before the Cowboys’ 27-17 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on “Monday Night Football.” Wilson, who has played his whole career in Cincinnati, requested a trade last month as his playing time has dwindled in recent weeks.
Wrote yesterday about the theory behind dealing Logan Wilson which Zac Taylor spoke indirectly about at Monday’s press conference.
Their lack of LB depth is a concern, but want to clear way for Carter and Knight to lead, as well. pic.twitter.com/nD9cgJXCId
— Paul Dehner Jr. (@pauldehnerjr) November 4, 2025
A defensive captain for the Bengals, Wilson joins a Cowboys defense that sorely needs help and is giving up more than 30 points per game. The 29-year-old was drafted by Cincinnati in the third round in 2020 and tallied 100-plus tackles in four straight seasons.
The Dallas defense has needed a linebacker upgrade as it waits on the return of DeMarvion Overshown, who is on track to come back following the Cowboys’ Week 10 bye after he suffered a torn ACL, MCL and PCL last season. Even coming off a significant knee injury, he should make a notable impact in several areas. Now, the Cowboys have Wilson to pair with him.
Kenneth Murray and Jack Sanborn, the Cowboys’ two biggest offseason additions at linebacker, haven’t come close to being the answer. Wilson now gives them someone who should be an upgrade. Frankly, it seems difficult to think they could get any worse, but Wilson is coming from the only defense that has been worse than the Cowboys this season.
Wilson was inactive for the Bengals’ 47-42 loss to the Chicago Bears on Sunday after he was added to the injury report earlier in the week with a calf injury. He was benched four games ago and relegated to a sub-package role behind rookies Barrett Carter and Demetrius Knight Jr. before injuring his calf at the end of the New York Jets game.
For the Bengals, Wilson’s exit can become an addition by subtraction from a leadership standpoint, allowing Carter and Knight to emerge as leaders. Of course, they’ve played terribly on one of the worst defenses in the history of the NFL, which is among the club’s dozens of problems. Injuries have depleted Cincinnati’s depth at the position. Backup Shaka Heyward went on injured reserve, Oren Burks played through a groin injury last week and the club called up Joe Giles-Harris from the practice squad to fill out depth. Additionally, the team added Brian Asamoah II to the roster last week and he had to take special teams snaps against the Bears days after arriving from the waiver wire.
The Bengals will still have to take on $5.9 million in dead money this year and another $4 million in dead money next year from the extension Cincinnati signed Wilson to in 2023. Wilson was not in their plans, meaning they would have taken on the dead money hit anyway. This saves them $2.89 million on this year’s cap while getting something in return. Adding the seventh-round pick helps offset the swapping of fifth- and sixth-round picks with Cleveland to acquire Joe Flacco last month.
Cincinnati now has a fourth, two sixth-rounders and two seventh-rounders in 2026.
