Cincinnati Bengals Bench Veteran Linebacker Logan Wilson for Rookie Barrett Carter

CINCINNATI — Bengals linebacker Logan Wilson was benched before Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers, marking a significant shift in the team’s defensive lineup. Rookie linebackers Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter took most of the snaps during the game, with Carter playing all 61 defensive plays while Wilson saw only 12 snaps.

Wilson, who has been a starter since 2021 and is under a four-year, $36 million contract, addressed the media on Tuesday regarding his benching. He expressed his belief that he was still performing well enough to retain his starting position. "I felt like I was [playing okay], but obviously [Bengals coach] Zac [Taylor] felt otherwise," Wilson said.

The decision to play rookies Knight and Carter instead of Wilson had reportedly been set in motion earlier in the week. Wilson mentioned he holds no hard feelings towards Carter, a fourth-round draft pick from Clemson. "No matter what the coaches decide to do, it’s not up to me; it’s not up to him," Carter said. "But we both love each other. We both go to war with each other."

Head coach Zac Taylor explained the reasoning behind the change, noting the potential for risks associated with rookies. "Anytime you put a rookie out there, there’s an element of risk to it. I just felt he’s shown enough to continue to work through it. We’re going to see constant improvement every single game," Taylor said.

This decision came as the Bengals faced a four-game losing streak, and many are questioning whether this shift could kickstart the team’s performance on defense. Wilson, who has accumulated 37 tackles and four passes defensed this season, aims to support his younger teammates while continuing to focus on his personal growth during this time of adversity.

Wilson said he intends to be a good teammate and mentor for Carter. "I told him that I’m still gonna work to continue to get better and just continue to support him as best as I can because that’s what a good teammate would do," Wilson added.