In a move to bolster their struggling defense, the Dallas Cowboys have acquired linebacker Logan Wilson from the Cincinnati Bengals, as confirmed by the Bengals on Tuesday.
The Cowboys will send a 2026 seventh-round draft pick to the Bengals in exchange for Wilson. Wilson, who served as a defensive captain for Cincinnati, had reportedly requested a trade due to a recent reduction in his playing time.
The trade announcement follows Dallas’s 27-17 defeat to the Arizona Cardinals on “Monday Night Football,” where Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett, filling in as a backup, threw for two touchdowns and rushed for another. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones had suggested on Monday that the team was considering a trade before Tuesday’s deadline.
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Wilson’s 11 interceptions over the last five and a half seasons are the most among all NFL middle linebackers. From 2021 to 2023, he led Cincinnati in tackles each season before injuries sidelined him for the final six games of the 2024 season.
The Cowboys’ defense has faced difficulties, both in terms of generating pressure on opposing quarterbacks and in their secondary coverage, since trading Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers for two first-round draft picks and defensive lineman Kenny Clark prior to the season’s commencement.
Without Parsons, Dallas is currently allowing 30.8 points per game, which ranks 31st in the NFL. The team also held the 31st spot in points allowed last season, conceding an average of 27.5 points per game.
Despite the team’s defensive challenges, Jones, 83, expressed his eagerness to make deals at the deadline on Tuesday, citing a “natural urgency” to win now given his age.
The addition of Wilson is expected to provide a boost. Although the veteran has performed at a higher level in previous seasons, his overall grade of 54.8 from PFF surpasses that of all three of Dallas’s current starting linebackers.
Following Monday night’s loss, the Cowboys’ record stands at 3-5-1 for the season. They are scheduled to face a struggling Las Vegas Raiders offense in Week 10, followed by consecutive games against the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs. Both Philadelphia and Kansas City are currently ranked in the top 10 in points scored per game this season.
