Yesterday, while appearing on the Stephen A. Smith Show, Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones stated that the Cowboys had made a trade. For hours, before kickoff last night, fans were trying to connect the dots on who the Cowboys had set their sights on. Jones remained steadfast that he wouldn’t reveal who the player was and that it would be announced this morning. Well, Jones wasn’t pulling our chains, and a trade did happen.
The Cowboys have traded with the Cincinnati Bengals to acquire linebacker Logan Wilson for a 2026 seventh-round draft pick. Jones also said yesterday that the player the team was trading for would get on the field immediately. Considering how bad the defense has been, help can’t get out there soon enough. Yet, what should the Cowboys expect from Logan Wilson after the midseason trade? Here’s what you should know about Dallas’ new linebacker
Wilson is a former third-round pick of the Bengals in 2020. When he was drafted, Wilson was viewed as a prospect; his timed speed (4.63 forty-yard dash) wasn’t indicative of his actual athleticism. Dating back to his time as a high school player, Wilson always showed terrific athleticism for his size. In high school, he was named All-State as a receiver, defensive back, as well as punter, and placekicker. As a collegiate prospect, Wilson entered the NFL draft measured at 6’2”, 241 lbs., and tested very well at the combine.
It took Wilson some time to earn a regular role with the Bengals, but in his second season, Wilson was named a starter on the team’s defense under coordinator Lou Anarumo. Since becoming a starter, Wilson was highly productive for the Bengals, totaling 100 tackles or more in four consecutive seasons, and intercepting nine passes in that span. Wilson is a player who diagnoses the run well and is able to take on blocks before shedding offensive linemen to make the tackle.
For Dallas, it’s a breath of fresh air for a defense that allows almost 31 points per game and nearly five yards per rushing attempt. The Cowboys have allowed teams to go over 100 yards rushing in every game this season except two. Wilson’s arrival will also have an impact on Kenneth Murray and Shemar James. Kenneth Murray has had some moments in the last two games, but he hasn’t been what the Cowboys expected when they acquired him from the Tennessee Titans. James is a fifth-round rookie who has played a lot of snaps but still needs time in the learning process. There have been too many lapses in the running game, especially at run fits, and the hope is that Wilson immediately helps in that department.
Wilson also should be expected to provide leadership for James and Marist Liufau. As for other reasons why the trade makes sense for Dallas and why Wilson was available in the first place: Wilson hasn’t been his best this season and has seen his snaps decrease for Cincinnati. There’s some context here. Wilson, who thrived under Anarumo, hasn’t had the same rapport with the Bengals’ new defensive coordinator, Al Golden. Dallas saw a productive player in an unhappy situation and swooped in for very little in exchange. As we know, Jerry Jones loves a bargain and found it with Wilson, who has two years left on his contract.
In short, if Wilson pans out, it’s a great pickup for very little financial investment, and if not, it costs next to nothing and only a day-three draft pick at giving the team a chance to salvage a porous defensive unit. The Cowboys expect to get DeMarvion Overshown back in the lineup around Thanksgiving. Pairing Wilson and Overshown in the nickel package would greatly improve their coverage at the second level, an area that has given the Cowboys problems, especially when playing zone coverage. The other thing is Wilson is durable and willing to play through injuries and available to play all three positions at linebacker. The trade isn’t quite the caliber that Jones slyly teased yesterday, but it does several things: It fills a need, provides future flexibility, costs little draft capital, and provides leadership from a former team captain to a defense that has been careening into a bottomless pit.
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