Bengals linebacker Logan Wilson has requested a trade. The starter at middle linebacker for Cincinnati, Wilson has not petitioned for a release, per a league source. His minutes have all but disappeared this season. With such a painful development, speculation abounds about his future with the organization. Wilson has been a linchpin of the Bengals’ defense since the team made him their second-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. As a team captain, he’s a leader both on and off the field.
In recent games, Wilson’s role has diminished. He was involved in only 19.7% of the entire team’s defensive snaps in that Week 6 showdown against the Green Bay Packers. This was a big drop from his 47.5% snap count in Week 2 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Despite starting all seven games this season and accumulating 75 starts over six seasons with Cincinnati, Wilson’s playing time has been a point of concern.
Wilson’s custom contract has two years remaining, on a four-year, $36 million deal that he signed in 2023. During his entire tenure with the Bengals, he has been an important cog on their defense. His stat-stuffing speaks for itself with six forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and 11 interceptions. His work positioned the Bengals to make a Super Bowl run in 2021—a stunning turnaround for that franchise.
Despite Wilson taking on a lesser role, his bond with rookie linebacker Barrett Carter continues to grow. Carter has expressed gratitude to Wilson for being an invaluable mentor through his transition to a starting role.
“It hasn’t changed our relationship at all,” – Barrett Carter
Carter elaborated on Wilson’s influence, stating, “I still lean on him heavily with stuff, still ask him questions every single day. He’s been a great leader, just like the man he is since the day I got here.”
As his trade request drama plays out, so too goes the future of Wilson and the Bengals. The onus is on the team’s management to weigh the ramifications of trading away their captain and best player. They have to weigh the costs here against the possible benefits of remaking their roster.
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