AN NFL veteran woke up to a brutal reality on Friday morning after being dumped in a sudden cost-cutting move.

The Dallas Cowboys waived linebacker Logan Wilson in a surprise decision designed to free up valuable room under the salary cap.

Dallas confirmed the move will save the franchise $6.5 million as they scramble to get their finances in order ahead of the new league year.

Wilson had only arrived in Texas at the trade deadline, brought in with hopes of stabilizing a defense that struggled for consistency at linebacker.

The Cowboys gave up a 2026 seventh-round draft pick to the Cincinnati Bengals to secure the experienced defender.

But the midseason gamble failed to deliver the spark the front office had hoped for.

Wilson featured in just seven games for Dallas and made only one start during his short stint with the team.

He totaled 24 tackles and forced one fumble, numbers that fell short of expectations for a player with his résumé.

In a Christmas Day win over the Washington Commanders, Wilson did not play a single defensive snap — a decision later described internally as a coaching error.

Despite clear issues on defense, the Cowboys stuck with Kenneth Murray Jr. as their primary starter over Wilson.

Before his move to Dallas, Wilson had been voted a team captain in Cincinnati, underlining how far his stock has shifted in less than a year.

He lost his starting role to rookie Barrett Carter before the Bengals agreed to ship him out.

During five seasons in Cincinnati, Wilson started 65 games and built a reputation as one of the league’s more productive linebackers.

He recorded four straight 100-tackle seasons between 2021 and 2024 and intercepted 11 passes in that span.

Wilson was also instrumental in the Bengals’ run to Super Bowl LVI, where they ultimately fell to the Los Angeles Rams.

He led all players in that postseason with 39 tackles, cementing his status as a big-game performer.

Across 83 career appearances, Wilson has compiled 565 tackles, 11 interceptions, seven forced fumbles and 5.5 sacks.

Now 29 and back on the market, he is expected to draw interest quickly.

The Buffalo Bills were previously rumored to be interested in trading for him, which would reunite him with former Wyoming teammate and quarterback Josh Allen.

For Dallas, however, the focus is firmly on finances.

The Cowboys are projected to sit more than $30 million over the cap, and Wilson’s release represents the first significant step toward trimming that number.

With more tough decisions looming, this shock cut may only be the beginning of a dramatic offseason in Dallas.