Kenneth Murray or Logan Wilson? Change at MLB could come sooner than later for Cowboys

FRISCO — When the Cowboys made trades at the deadline for Quinnen Williams and Logan Wilson, there was a thought both players would start.

Williams is at defensive tackle.

Wilson isn’t at middle linebacker.

If anything, Wilson is in a rotation with Kenneth Murray.

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Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer looks over his play sheet as the offense...

Over the last four games, Wilson has averaged 28.5 snaps per game with Murray at 34.2.

Murray has struggled this season at the middle linebacker spot. His familiarity with the defensive scheme from the beginning of the season is keeping him in the starting rotation.

However, according to Pro Football Focus, an independent website that evaluates players, which numerous NFL teams, including the Cowboys subscribe to, Murray has an overall grade of 36.8. That ranks Murray 92nd among 95 linebackers who have played at least 20% of the defensive snaps this season.

As the Cowboys host the Vikings on Sunday night, could there be a change in the rotation?

For now, Murray starts. Before he was traded from the Bengals to the Cowboys, Wilson had started seven games. When the Bengals decided to sit Wilson for rookie Barrett Carter, he requested a trade.

Now with Wilson playing for the Cowboys, he’s getting playing time but not starting.

“They’re both learning and growing together and doing a good job there,” defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus said. “We’ve split time with those guys. We’ve evaluated their competition, we’ll continue to do that and it’s important that we look at it that way.”

The Cowboys play a nickel package a majority of the time and that would get Murray and/or Wilson on the field with DeMarvion Overshown as the weakside linebacker.

It would seem, as the Cowboys enter the final four weeks of the season and given the struggles of Murray, that Wilson might become the starter in a new type of rotation.

Dallas Cowboys linebacker Logan Wilson (55) walks off the field after an NFL football game...

Dallas Cowboys linebacker Logan Wilson (55) walks off the field after an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025, in Frisco, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

LM Otero / AP

“I think I’ll forever be acclimating for the rest of the year, truly it’s because sometimes things don’t come up until they actually come up,” Wilson said. “You’re gonna get certain routes versus certain coverages that you might not have had that question initially. But when it comes up, then you have that question and so, just constantly trying to learn, we’re gonna put in new stuff every week. So learning those things, that’s trying to honestly stay on top of it and keep stacking just one day to do.”

Eberflus, a noted linebackers coach, has juggled several positions this season, whether at cornerback and safety because of health issues or at linebacker because of production.

Eberflus said he expects linebackers to become playmakers on ball carriers, where stripping the ball becomes a constant theme.

Dallas is minus-8 in the turnover margin, a number that disappoints not only Eberflus but coach Brian Schottenheimer, as well.

“I’ve always said this even since when I was coaching [former linebacker] Sean Lee here before,” Eberflus said. “The linebacker’s job is to hit the ball. You are the point of attack. There is no backside for you, so to me, you should be able to have 15, 16, 18 tackles in a game and you should make ball production.”

In the last four games since the trade, Murray hasn’t had more than three tackles in a game while Wilson had five tackles in a win over Kansas City.

At some point, changes might occur with the middle linebacker position.

“Honestly, I’m just worried about what I can control at this point, and that’s learning the playbook and trying to do my part to help this team get some wins,” Wilson said.

In the loss to the Lions last week, both players received poor grades in pass defense, with Wilson scoring a little higher (37.5) than Murray (28.3). But both players, Murray at 73.3 and Wilson at 72.6, showed some improvement in run defense. It was also the first game in which Wilson played more snaps (34-26) than Murray.

“We’re always evaluating the number [of snaps],” Eberflus said. “How they execute on the field and what gives us the best chance in terms of the mix, you know, who’s doing what, in two series, one series, two series, a piece, whatever that might be, rotational-wise. But we’re always gonna look at that because it’s the best chance to win.”

Twitter/X: @calvinwatkins

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