Cowboys' trade for Bengals LB Logan Wilson checks the one box Jerry Jones really needed it to

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones claimed on Monday afternoon the team had made one trade. And despite later seemingly walking back on whether it was completed or not, it turns out it's true. The Cowboys are set to acquire linebacker Logan Wilson from the Cincinnati Bengals, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

Per the report, the Cowboys are giving up a seventh-round draft pick for Wilson.

Wilson requested a trade earlier in the season after being seemingly demoted, and he now finds a team where he's set to play a lot more. The Cowboys' linebacker play has been mediocre in 2025 with former first-rounder Kenneth Murray leading the team in defensive snaps.

Wilson's arrival will be complemented with DeMarvion Overshown's post-bye return from injury in Week 11. In other words, the Cowboys will likely be fielding two new starting linebackers when they take the field once again. Wilson is expected to take over as the middle linebacker. Wilson was the Bengals' leading tackler from 2021 to 2023.

Logan Wilson checks the box the Cowboys needed him to the most

At 3-5-1, the Cowboys' playoff hopes for the 2025 season are close to being over. But Wilson, nicknamed "Cowboy," is under contract through 2027. His cap hits are under $10 million for each of the next two seasons. That is to say, Wilson checks the box of being a player that helps beyond this season. A one-year rental would have made no sense, even if it is just a seventh-round pick they're giving up.

For Cincinnati, it's a chance to do right by a team captain. For Dallas, it's a move with long-term implications.

In a more cynical note, the trade also helps the Cowboys sell hope to some diehard fans. But at three wins in Week 10, the Cowboys would need to go 7-1 to have a legit chance at the postseason.

Bengals' insight on new Cowboys LB Logan Wilson

A to Z Sports Cincinnati's John Sheeran provided important insight into who Wilson is as a linebacker and why he should be "rejuvenated" on a new team.

Sheeran: "Logan Wilson was a foundational piece for the Bengals’ two great seasons that started the decade. At his best, he was a rangy second-level defender who could make the drop into a Tampa 2 zone as the MIKE, and also make sound tackles in the A gap. Injuries have unfortunately hindered him since signing a four-year, $36 million extension back in 2023, and Cincinnati has been slowly but surely planning for life after him over the last year. He’s not the athlete he once was, but once he’s recovered from his calf injury, he should be rejuvenated to start again for a new team."

This story was originally published in A to Z Sports Dallas Cowboys, as Cowboys' trade for Bengals LB Logan Wilson checks the one box Jerry Jones really needed him to.

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