The primary commerce of deadline day within the NFL is on the board. Naturally, it was Jerry Jones who received the celebration began, placing a take care of the Cincinnati Bengals for veteran linebacker Logan Wilson. Jones, Dallas’ proprietor and common supervisor, revealed on Monday that his membership had a deal within the works, however saved his playing cards near the vest for essentially the most half. Now, that deal has since been revealed, with Wilson heading to AT&T Stadium as Cincinnati lands a Day 3 choose in 2026.
Whereas the Bengals have arguably the worst protection within the NFL, Wilson being moved should not come as an excessive amount of of a shock. The linebacker had beforehand requested a commerce out of Cincinnati after he noticed his position lower in 2025. Nonetheless, it’s a reasonably seismic transfer for the Bengals as Wilson, a workforce captain, had been a key determine at linebacker, together with throughout the workforce’s run to Tremendous Bowl LVI throughout the 2022 season. For Dallas, this can be a transfer in hopes that it will assist flip the tide of what has been a poor first half of the season on protection, which incorporates permitting the Jacoby Brissett-led Cardinals to publish 27 factors in an upset win on Monday evening.
With this commerce within the books, let’s study it even additional and hand out our grades to see which membership got here out on high.
The commerce
- Cowboys get: LB Logan Wilson
- Bengals get: 2026 seventh-round choose
Dallas Cowboys: B
The Dallas protection is in a nasty manner. Popping out of Week 9, the membership is permitting 6.1 yards per play (third-highest within the NFL), 7.7 yards per go try (third-highest), and 30.8 factors per recreation (second-highest). That 30.8 factors per recreation whole is essentially the most alarming, as no workforce in NFL historical past has made the playoffs permitting 30 or extra per recreation, so Jerry Jones wanted to make a transfer to enhance the unit.
Whereas it might really feel like a last-ditch effort with the membership sitting at 3-5-1 on the yr, Wilson does have the potential to assist them stress the quarterback. The veteran linebacker has the third-highest pass-rushing grade amongst linebackers this season, in response to Professional Soccer Focus.
Giving your self a puncher’s probability to enhance on protection and with hopes of pushing again into the playoff dialog is actually price giving up a 2026 seventh-rounder.
Cincinnati Bengals: D
Possibly the one protection worse than the Cowboys is Cincinnati. Whether or not it is yards per play allowed (6.4) or factors per recreation allowed (33.3), the Bengals have the worst protection within the NFL by most measures, so seeing them lose a bit is hardly very best. Of their eyes, Wilson was a declining participant as he fell out of the beginning rotation and commenced taking part in extra on particular groups. That led to the veteran requesting a commerce. When that occurs, the return isn’t going to be excellent for a participant of his stature and level in his profession.
With that in thoughts, Cincinnati was painted right into a nook a bit when it comes to what it may get for Wilson, however a 2026 seventh-rounder hardly strikes the needle. It is primarily a coin flip if the participant they take with that choose will even make the roster subsequent summer time, so nobody ought to be falling out of their chairs with this deal from a Bengals standpoint.
