NFL Executive Thinks Cardinals' Biggest Signing is Not a Great Player

However, it seems not everybody is all that impressed with this move from the Cardinals.

An anonymous NFL executive told The Athletic's Mike Sando, "Having that familiarity will help, but do I think Sweat is a great player? No. He helps them but doesn't move the needle a great deal."

The eight sacks Sweat was responsible for in 2024 wouldn't be enough to completely change the Cardinals' defense.

Even if he gets back to the 11 he had in 2022 while Jonathan Gannon was his defensive coordinator, he still wouldn't be in the "elite" category, but it would put him right below that tier in the range of "great".

Elite isn't what the Cardinals necessarily needed him to be when they signed him and they didn't pay him like he would be.

His contract only carries the 12th-highest average value at his position and he'll drop further down that list as guys like Aidan Hutchinson and Micah Parsons work out extensions.

What he does provide is a clear top dog on a team that now has plenty of guys who can cause problems in opposing backfields.

Calais Campbell had five sacks last season. Dalvin Tomlinson had three. Darius Robinson had 8.5 during his last college season. Baron Browning had 4.5 in 10 games in 2023. B.J. Ojulari had four as a rookie while only playing 37% of snaps.

None of these guys is going to compete for Defensive Player of the Year in 2025, but they give the Cardinals plenty of options in their pass rush.

Getting Sweat from this year's class of edge free agents to be the guy to lead this group should move the needle and is the right fit for the roster the Cardinals have constructed.