Josh Sweat is a good player on a bad team, which means he will be the subject of trade rumors for the next few months. A former fourth-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Florida State product originally entered the league with the Philadelphia Eagles and spent his early years in a reserve role. However, he finally established himself as a starter in 2021 and turned himself into one of the league’s better edge defenders. A one-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion, Sweat has recorded at least 6.5 sacks in each of the past five seasons and is coming off arguably the best year of his career.
Starting and appearing in 17 games for a bad Arizona Cardinals team, Josh Sweat finished the season with 12 sacks, 30 tackles, 13 tackles-for-loss, 17 quarterback hits, four forced fumbles, and a 74.2 PFF grade, the 31st-best mark out of 119 eligible players. While the Cardinals themselves had a disappointing season, Sweat had a strong campaign and was probably the team’s best defender.
Now entering his age-29 season, Josh Sweat is still a good player, but is likely closer to the end of his career than the beginning. Arizona won’t be ready to compete for at least another season or two, and Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports has reported that teams are calling the Cardinals to see if they’re willing to sell the pass rusher.
Cardinals Could Trade Josh Sweat; 3 Teams Interested
Let’s start with a disclaimer: as of this posting, there is no indication that the Cardinals are willing to trade Josh Sweat for anything less than a king’s ransom. Sweat is a good player, but he’s not a great one, so teams won’t move heaven and earth to acquire his services. However, with that disclaimer out of the way, there’s a reason Schultz tweeted this. Arizona can save $10.8 million in cap space by trading Sweat after June 1st, so why wouldn’t they take that savings and a good draft pick if a team is willing to make a move?
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens signed Trey Hendrickson to a massive contract and nearly acquired Maxx Crosby via trade. However, that deal fell through once the Ravens performed a physical and didn’t feel comfortable with the status of Crosby’s knee. While some say Baltimore got cold feet and ultimately went with Hendrickson, General Manager Eric DeCosta said he would have been willing to sign both pass rushers. It’s time for him to put his money where is mouth is, trade for Josh Sweat, and form arguably the game’s most dominant pass rushing duo.
Chicago Bears
The first year of the Ben Johnson Era was an unquestionable success. Former first-overall pick Caleb Williams continued to develop, the offense was great, and the future seems to be bright for this organization. However, the defense could use some work. The Bears play in one of the league’s toughest divisions, and adding someone like Josh Sweat would go a long way in securing the pass rush. This team has the offensive firepower to go on a deep playoff run, and bolstering the defense could give this team legitimate Super Bowl aspirations.
Los Angeles Chargers
Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh is an old-school football mind, but his roster doesn’t necessarily reflect that. While he deserves credit for fixing the offensive line during the offseason, the defensive line needs some work. Khalil Mack is still a great player, but he’s not the unstoppable force he was at the peak of his career. Former second-round pick Tuli Tuipulotu, meanwhile, is a solid rotational player but leaves something to be desired as a starter. Josh Sweat would be a considerable upgrade and would help this team in their pursuit of Justin Herbert’s first playoff win.
Main Photo: Jayne Kamin-Oncea – Imagn Images
