FRISCO, Texas — Quinnen Williams stole the show for the Dallas Cowboys ahead of this year's NFL trade deadline, but he isn't alone in moving to North Texas to try and prepare for a debut against the Las Vegas Raiders during Monday Night Football. The other acquisition came by way of Logan Wilson, and he arrives with the goal of bolstering the linebacker position in a big way.
"It was a tough goodbye but it's time for a fresh start, and I'm excited to be here." Wilson said after landing in Dallas. "Yeah [I wanted to be in Dallas], for sure, absolutely. … I'm just looking forward to trying to do my part to help this team win games."
Combining Wilson with the return of DeMarvion Overshown sets a tone for the position group in the second half of the season that wasn't present throughout the first nine games. And when asked what exactly he brings to the table for the Cowboys, Wilson was succinct and definitive in his response.
"Tough, physical, hard-nosed attitude," he said. "I try to find ways to make plays on the ball and get the ball back to our offense."
Taking the reins as his position coach will be Dave Borgonzi, a longtime linebackers coach at the NFL level who joined the team himself this calendar year as a part of the regime change at head coach, helping to usher in the Brian Schottenheimer era. In describing what Wilson might mean to the Cowboys going forward, Borgonzi's usually even keel demeanor gave way to a smile.
"Logan's been a really productive player, and he obviously takes the ball away," said Borgonzi of Wilson's ballhawking ability. "He's got the most interceptions for a linebacker in the past few years. He's really good at that and at getting to the ball. He's just a really good addition to get midseason."
Just two years removed from having racked up four interceptions for the Bengals, tying his career-high set in 2021, his second year in the NFL, Wilson is indeed known for his coverage ability and in how he forces the opposing offense to turn the ball over.
"Honestly, Logan [took the ball away] in college," Borgonzi added. "I think he had 10 takeaways when he was at Wyoming. He's been a guy that's done that his whole career, and the first rule of any defense is to get the ball back to your offense. That's how you change the game on defense — you get the ball back.
"That's what he's shown in his past and hopefully he can bring that here."
One thing that will certainly help Wilson, Overshown and the other linebackers on the team is the aforementioned presence of Quinnen Williams. An interior defensive line that now places an All-Pro, in his prime, beside three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark in rotation with Osa Odighizuwa and Solomon Thomas is one that allows linebackers to think less and play more.
So when Wilson got word that his trade was followed by Williams', he was grinning ear-to-ear.
"I saw it on the plane here," he said with a smile. "I don't know much about the guy, I just know he's an incredible player. To be able to play behind him is gonna be a lot of fun. I'm looking forward to it."
The two will debut together under the bright lights in Vegas, helping the Cowboys' odds of getting back into the win column as they desperately try to turn the 2025 season around.
