The Bengals benched veteran linebacker Logan Wilson on Sunday.
Wilson started as the Bengals started in their base package, but he played only 12 defensive snaps while rookie Barrett Carter played 61. Wilson’s only defensive snap of the second half came on a kneel-down.
Wilson disagreed with the decision.
“I felt like I was [playing good enough],” Wilson said, via Ben Baby of ESPN. “But obviously [Bengals coach] Zac [Taylor] felt otherwise.”
Wilson, 29, has made 62 starts since his second season in 2021. He has a four-year, $36 million deal that runs through 2027.
He received the news late last week that Carter was getting his playing time, and Wilson said he holds no hard feelings toward the fourth-round pick.
“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.”
The job alongside rookie Demetrius Knight Jr. now belongs to Carter.
“Anytime you put a rookie out there, there’s an element of risk to it,” Taylor said. “When are you going to expose yourself to that risk? Are you going to do it sooner rather than later?
“I just felt he’s shown enough to [have us] continue to work through it. We’re going to see constant improvement every single game.”