Bengals 2025 Roster Breakdown: Logan Wilson's time has come as Cincinnati's true defensive leader

Bengals roster breakdown is back! During the 99 days leading up to Cincinnati's regular season opener against the Cleveland Browns, the player with the matching jersey number as days remaining will become the day's highlighted player.

55 days remain until the Bengals' first game of the 2025 season, and No. 55 Logan Wilson is ready to lead a new defense.

Logan Wilson

Age: 29
Year: 6th
Position: Linebacker
College: Wyoming
Previous Teams: None
Jersey Number: 55

Wilson enters his sixth season with the Bengals after being drafted 65th overall in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He spent five years at Wyoming and played four seasons after redshirting as a freshman. He played in every single game the Cowboys had on their schedule and racked up the fourth-most tackles in the history of the Mountain West Conference (421).

Cincinnati didn't start Wilson immediately as a rookie but he did log significant snaps during the heart of the 2020 campaign. He took over as the MIKE backer in 2021, playing alongside Germaine Pratt, and the duo centered a defense that became significantly better compared to the previous two years under defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo. Al Golden, the Bengals' linebackers coach at the time, oversaw Wilson's quick growth as a starter before leaving to become Notre Dame's DC. Wilson's 2022 season was even better as he cut down on missed tackles and stayed healthier after missing a handful of games in '21. 

Wilson signed a four-year contract extension leading into the 2023 season, but as the defense around him began deteriorating thanks to veteran departures, Wilson's game has slipped a bit as well. A knee injury also cost him the final six games of last year.

Now 29 and fully healthy, Wilson is one of the oldest starters remaining and figures to be a first-time captain in a defense now ran by his former position coach.

Contract Details

Wilson is entering the second year of the four-year, $36 million contract extension he signed in 2023. He's set to earn a base salary of $5.368 million during the season and can make $450,000 in per game roster bonuses as well. He's already earned a $100,000 workout bonus. In total, he can make $5.918 million in cash this year.

When adding in the signing bonus proration of $3 million and subtracting $158,824 of his per game roster bonuses that are Not Likely To Be Earned (NLTBE) due to the six games he missed last season, Wilson's salary cap hit for 2025 is $8,759,176.