Logan Wilson Trade Grades: Cowboys Bolster Defense, Bengals Grant Request

CINCINNATI — The Bengals traded veteran linebacker Logan Wilson to the Cowboys in exchange for a seventh round pick on Tuesday morning.

Cincinnati clears $2.684 million in cap space this season and $2.55 million next season. It also means they've moved on from another core piece piece that helped them make it to back-to-back AFC Championship Games in 2021 and 2022, including Super Bowl LVI. Meanwhile, Dallas gets a proven veteran with hopes of giving their defense a major boost.

Here are trade grades for both teams:

The Trade:

Bengals Get 2026 Seventh-Round Draft Pick

Cowboys Get: LB Logan Wilson

Bengals: B-

It's wild that it ended up this way, but it's a deal they had to make. Once Wilson was benched for rookie Barrett Carter last month and he requested a trade, there was no reason to keep him around.

Moving on from him and his contract needed to be done—even if the return seems small for a proven veteran line Wilson.

The Bengals save $5.2 million in cap space with the move (2025 and 2026 combined) and aren't committed to paying Wilson in future seasons. He was under contract through 2027 after signing a $36 million extension prior to the 2023 campaign.

This trade is also a reminder of how bad things have gotten on defense. Benching a defensive captain for a rookie is proof the Bengals are searching for answers. It's also a reminder of how much things have changed since they went to Super Bowl LVI. That was a long time ago. And they're betting on Wilson not being a game changing player for the remainder of his career.

Cowboys: B

Dallas didn't give up much and they take a flier on a veteran that will certainly be motivated to prove the Bengals wrong. Wilson was still the Bengals' best linebacker this season when he was on the field. They benched him with the hope that Barrett Carter and Demetrius Knight Jr. would take their lumps early and make them a better defense as the season progresses.

This is a low-risk, medium reward move for Dallas. They had to do something. Why don't they get an "A" grade? It's simple. They're trading for a guy that could easily be a cap casualty at the end of the season. Wilson probably won't change their season, but he may give them a boost. It was a risk worth taking.

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