Cardinals OLB Josh Sweat Drawing Trade Interest

The Cardinals have received trade calls on Sweat, according to veteran insider Jordan Schultz. Although the Cards retained DC Nick Rallis — after multiple candidates dropped out of the running — Schultz adds Sweat is close with since-fired HC Jonathan Gannon. Sweat played under Gannon in Philadelphia and rejoined him in Arizona last year.

Entering his age-29 season, Sweat is tied to a four-year deal worth $76.4MM. Sweat’s 2026 compensation is guaranteed, but no guarantees are in place beyond this year. The former Eagles standout is due $9.78MM in base salary this season, presenting an interesting opportunity for a Cardinals team that replaced Gannon with Mike LaFleur.

Sweat, however, is coming off a career-best season in the sack department; he finished with 12. The recent explosion on the edge rusher market also gives the Cardinals a bargain with Sweat, whose $19.1MM AAV is now less than a third of where Will Anderson Jr.‘s top-market AAV stands ($50MM).

The Cardinals also did not make a notable investment at edge rusher this offseason. The team passed on Arvell Reese at No. 3 overall, choosing Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love. Arizona did not draft an edge rusher and returns a modest Sweat supporting cast. The Cardinals have converted ILB Zaven Collins under contract to go with Baron Browning and BJ Ojulari. None has produced on the level of Sweat, who commanded a big-ticket free agency deal on the strength of a strong 2024 playoff showing that helped the Eagles win Super Bowl LIX.

With the Cardinals seemingly aiming to add a first-round quarterback in 2027, collecting additional assets would make sense in the event a team or multiple teams finish with worse records in 2026. Sending Sweat elsewhere would be a way to do so, though it would significantly deplete the team’s pass rush. The Vikings just collected two third-round picks from the Eagles for Jonathan Greenard, who is also entering an age-29 season. It is not known if Sweat wants a new contract, but it would not surprise based on where he is in the position’s updated pecking order 14-plus months after he signed his Arizona deal.

Sweat’s AAV ranks 22nd among edge rushers. Among those contracts above him, 14 were agreed to after his March 2025 Cardinals commitment. The ninth-year veteran has also proven durable, not missing a game due to injury since 2020. That certainly strengthens Sweat’s trade value, though it is not known if the Cardinals are interested.

The same GM (Monti Ossenfort) is in place from Sweat’s signing, and he may well be on the hot seat after the team’s 3-14 finish in the exec’s third year atop the Arizona front office. Sweat’s name circulating this far in advance of the season will make him a player to monitor, with the Cardinals likely to entertain seller’s trades before the deadline. Though seller’s trades regularly include contract-year players, Sweat would be an appealing commodity due to his wildly team-friendly deal that runs through the 2028 season.