The Bengals take on dead cap hits of $5.9 million this year and $4 million in 2026.
The team announced the trade on Tuesday morning.
“I appreciate everything Logan has done as a player and as a person during his time in Cincinnati,” said head coach Zac Taylor in a press release. “He has been a central part of our defense over the past six years, and he will be remembered as a leader in our locker room. I wish him the best moving forward.”
Wilson, a first-time captain this year, was seeing a diminishing role as Cincinnati ushered in a new era for its linebacker room. The Bengals moved on from veteran Germaine Pratt during the offseason and Akeem Davis-Gaither departed for Arizona in free agency as well.
The writing was on the wall when the Bengals drafted Demetrius Knight Jr. in the second round and Carter in the fourth this year, but Wilson opened the season as a starter and helped mentor the young linebackers until it was clear his production was no longer what it once was.
Wilson played just 19.7 percent of the defensive snaps in Week 6, his fewest snaps this season, and two weeks later Carter made his first start.
“I’m not afraid for young guys to step up,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said Monday. “It doesn’t have to be a veteran. It doesn’t have to be a 3,4,5,6,7-year veteran. It can be a young guy that’s done things the right way, and is accountable and the guys respond to and doesn’t have to be perfect. But I think those young linebackers have leadership qualities, and guys see the way they work and how much it means to them.”
A third-round pick in 2020, Wilson had been a valued member of the team, but his decline seemed to begin with a knee injury last year. He was a key part in the Bengals’ run to the Super Bowl in 2021 and back-to-back AFC North titles and AFC championship appearances in 2021 and 2022.
Wilson will perhaps best be remembered for his interception in the 2021 AFC Divisional round playoff win against the Titans, which set up the game-winning field goal. He also had a significant performance in the Wild Card round against the Ravens, recording 10 tackles and forcing a fumble at the goal line, which led to a touchdown for the defense,
His time with the Bengals ends with 76 regular-season appearances and 65 starts over six seasons.
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