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The Cincinnati Bengals, following a brutal loss to the Chicago Bears in Week 9, entered the NFL trade deadline with a clear need to sell some of their assets.
Their first move of the NFL trade deadline wasn't the blockbuster Trey Hendrickson trade. It was a deal that sent linebacker Logan Wilson to the Dallas Cowboys for a 2026 seventh-round pick.
Seth Walder of ESPN handed out grades to both the Cowboys and Bengals for this deal, and while the compensation wasn't large, Walder not only favored the Bengals' side but gave the Bengals a B+ grade for this trade.
Bengals receive a B+ grade for the Logan Wilson trade
The draft pick compensation isn't the reason for Walder giving the Bengals such a high grade for this deal. Walder instead pointed towards the financials as the main reason why he likes this deal for the Bengals.
"What I am surprised about is that Dallas had to pick up all of the remaining $2.7 million of Wilson's salary." Walder writes. "The Bengals had benched Wilson; they are equally long shots to make the playoffs, and they almost certainly would have cut him at the end of the season. Given that, I would have guessed they'd be willing to eat some of the 2025 salary in order to earn a seventh-round pick. Turns out, Cincinnati didn't need to do that."
This financial impact of the trade is the main reason why the Bengals, despite receiving just a seventh-round pick for Wilson, received such a strong grade.
Saving money, moving on from a player who requested a trade, and landing a draft pick with no conditions attached to it is good business for the Bengals.
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While Wilson being as great as he was through the first four years of his career would've been better, his struggles this season left the Bengals little choice.
Even with their league-worst defense, the Bengals couldn't stick with Wilson, making the switch to a pair of rookies at linebacker in Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter. Oren Burks, a Super Bowl champion and veteran, is the backup, making for an intriguing room.
The Bengals received a B+ grade for their trade with the Cowboys. Landing a seventh-round pick and some financial freedom in exchange for Wilson was a good deal for Cincinnati.
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- Bengals' Logan Wilson receiving interest from Cowboys among three contenders
- How a Bengals' Week 9 loss could make Trey Hendrickson available for trade
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