Nearly lost in the news of the Quinnen Williams trade was the first move that the Dallas Cowboys made in acquiring Logan Wilson from the Cincinnati Bengals. Let’s take a closer look at what the deal means for the present and the future. 

Trade Terms:

Dallas Receives: Logan Wilson

Cincinnati Receives: 2026 seventh-round pick

The Contract

Wilson is under contract for two seasons after this one with a $6.5 million cap hit in 2026 and a $7.2 million cap hit in 2027. If the Cowboys aren’t pleased with Wilson after this season, they can release him while incurring no dead money on the cap.  

What it Means for the Present

This is a “he can’t be worse than what we have” move for Dallas. Indeed, with Kenneth Murray ranking No. 79 out of 82 players at the position according to PFF and Shemar James landing at the No. 81 spot, anyone would be an upgrade at this point. 

To that point, Wilson has been below average this season, ranking No. 58. Obviously though, that is a substantial upgrade. His 54.8 grade is also by far a career-low and, while he may not reach his 2024 grade of 72.4, it’s entirely possible that a rejuvenated Wilson could rebound to the same range as the 62.6 grade he received in 2023. 

Interestingly, it’s being reported that Wilson will eat more into Murray’s snaps than James’ as the team looks to continue evaluating the rookie. Once DeMarvion Overshown returns, expect him to pair with Wilson as the two main backers. 

What it Means for the Future

Beyond this season, the only contributing linebackers under team control are Overshown and James while Murray and the recently placed on IR Jack Sanborn will be free agents after Week 18. This presents a unique opportunity for Wilson and Dallas. 

If he can rebound even to his 2023 levels, that would be worth the $6.25 million cap hit in 2026. While it’s easy to disagree, keep in mind that Murray got a two-year, $15 million contract from the Tennessee Titans in 2024 after posting a PFF grade no higher than a 54.4 in the four preceding years with the Los Angeles Chargers. 

The team also doesn’t have to make a decision until later in the offseason. If they’re able to add another veteran linebacker on a contract they like better, then they can easily move on from Wilson. But having Wilson under contract will make it easier to avoid the pressure to over spend and hand out a contract similar to the one that Tennessee gave to Murray a couple of years ago.

Trade Grades:

For Dallas, this one gets a B+. It cost virtually nothing and they added a recently productive player that gives them optionality and flexibility in the offseason.

As for the Bengals, I’ll give them a C because they moved on from a player they benched and received more than a bag of chips. Maybe they can take the money they saved and use it to build a bridge from their facility to their practice field so that their players don’t have to cross a busy street to get to practice.

Overall, a “why not” trade for both teams, but a good enough piece of business for each side.