This move comes as little surprise after Wilson was effectively benched for the team’s Week 6 loss to the Green Bay Packers in favor of fourth-round rookie Barrett Carter. That was a game that saw Wilson relegated to special teams while logging just 12 defensive snaps.
Things got a little better in the Week 7 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, as he would log 26 defensive snaps in the win, but Carter still saw the bulk of the snaps.
It will be interesting to see how much interest Wilson draws ahead of the November 4 NFL Trade Deadline, and if the Bengals are willing to part ways with him. Given the fact that he’s essentially a backup now, they should be willing to trade him for a late Day 3 pick. However, the Bengals are very reluctant to trade away players who log significant snaps, and they typically put a higher value on their own guys that other teams don’t want to match.
Look for the Indianapolis Colts and former Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo to make a call about Wilson’s availability.