The Bengals never budged on Trey Hendrickson’s trade request, but now Logan Wilson is trying his luck before the deadline. According to ESPN, the veteran inside linebacker has indeed requested a trade. Already playing under an extended contract, he has taken issue with the reduction in his playing time.
A third-round pick in 2020, Logan Wilson emerged as a regular starter by his second season. Over the previous three seasons, he averaged about 98 percent of the defensive snaps. This year, his workload has dropped to 73 percent, and that is quickly declining.
While he technically started last Thursday against the Steelers, reports indicated that the Bengals were demoting Wilson. After playing 100 percent of the snaps in Week 5, he played just 20 percent in Week 6. He played more against Pittsburgh at 46 percent, but that was partially due to game circumstances.
With Wilson falling out of favor, the Bengals have been relying on a pair of rookies, Barrett Carter and Demetrius Knight Jr. Knight was their second-round pick, Carter a fourth-round selection. Both have played every game, with Knight a nominal starter. He has played 74 percent of the defensive snaps, while Carter has played 43 percent. Over the past two games, however, Carter has played every snap, taking over a starting job.
On the season, Knight has 50 tackles, including one for loss, with an interception and two passes defensed. Carter has 40 tackles, including his significant contributions on special teams. Logan Wilson has recorded 41 tackles this season with four passes defensed and a recovered fumble. Against the Steelers, he recorded four tackles and a pass defensed.
Over the course of his career, Wilson developed into a reliable presence in the middle of the Bengals’ defense. He recorded 100-plus tackles in four straight seasons and has 11 career interceptions with six forced fumbles.
It’s all taken Wilson by surprise, who last week described his demotion as “Weird mentally. Weird physically”. He acknowledged that he didn’t understand the decision and felt he was playing well. Wilson said the coaches were looking for a spark and felt Carter could help provide it.
It’s worth noting that the Bengals were in the midst of a losing streak that ended at four games when they benched Wilson. But there’s no evidence to suggest that the move helped them beat the Steelers. After all, Pittsburgh still put up 31 points and scored a go-ahead touchdown with minutes to play.
The NFL trade deadline is coming up after Week 9, but do the Bengals have any interest in obliging Logan Wilson’s request? Unlike Mike Tomlin’s Steelers, they don’t mind hostages. Wilson is a team captain and respected in the locker room. For what it’s worth, Carter has said that Wilson hasn’t stopped being in his ear, helping the rookie along.
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