The Cowboys need help off the edge, but they can’t let urgency push them into a bad deal. If Dallas wants Arizona Cardinals pass rusher Josh Sweat, the cleanest path is a measured offer that gives the Cardinals something real without stripping the Cowboys of too much draft value.
The best framework is simple: Dallas sends its 2028 third-round pick, and Arizona sends Sweat plus a 2028 fifth-rounder back.
That kind of structure makes sense for both sides. Arizona would move up the draft board in a meaningful way, while Dallas avoids handing over a third-rounder without anything coming back. Reporting has already pointed to the Cowboys’ 2028 third-round selection as available capital, and a package built around that pick could require a pick returning the other way.
Sweat also isn’t a short-term rental. He signed a four-year, $76.4 million contract in 2025, so he remains under team control through 2028.
That gives Dallas something beyond a deadline patch job. If the Cowboys are looking for a pass-rush boost that can last past November and December, Sweat fits that bill.
At the same time, the contract needs a close look. His 2027 and 2028 compensation is not guaranteed, which gives an acquiring team some flexibility but also leaves room for future contract talks. Dallas would need to understand exactly what it’s taking on before making the move.
The need is obvious. Through five weeks, the Cowboys had only five sacks and 36 pressures, numbers that leave them near the bottom of the league in both categories.
Sweat has shown he can be more than that. He posted a career-high 12 sacks in his first season with Arizona, proving his production wasn’t tied only to his time in Philadelphia.
But this year’s start has been quieter. Through five games, Sweat had one sack, 10 tackles and two tackles for loss. That’s a rebound candidate, not a weekly wrecking ball.
That’s why the price matters. His track record justifies serious interest, but his current form doesn’t support Dallas paying a premium and walking away empty-handed.
Arizona has reasons to keep listening, even after beating the Rams to move to 2-4. The Cardinals already traded Marvin Harrison Jr. to Houston, and league executives reportedly see Dallas as a strong candidate to go after Sweat.
A move from the fifth round into the third would give Arizona useful draft flexibility, but it would not treat Sweat like a giveaway. And that’s the point. He’s worth exploring, not overcommitting for.
The Cardinals still have leverage here. Sweat is not headed for immediate free agency, so Arizona can wait if the return isn’t right.
For Dallas, that makes this the right kind of trade idea: practical, not reckless. Offer something real, get the pass-rush help, and don’t turn a smart upgrade into a panic buy.
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Sean McVays Reaction Said Everything After Cardinals Shocked The Rams
A road win over a division rival is always going to count for something, but this one landed with a little more force for Arizona because of the way it unfolded. The Cardinals snapped a four-game losing streak and did it by beating the Rams 18-16 at SoFi Stadium, a result that left Los Angeles frustrated and searching for reasons after the offense stalled and the game kept slipping away through turnovers and penalties.
Sean McVays postgame tone said plenty about where the Rams are right now. He spent much of his discussion pointing to the critical errors and self-inflicted mistakes that undercut his team, and the bigger concern for the Rams is that the issues were not isolated to one phase or one drive. For Arizona, it was the kind of gritty division win that can steady a season. For the Rams, it was another reminder that clean football still is not coming easily. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Still Havent Unlocked Jeremiyah Love In The Passing Game
Jeremiyah Loves role in the passing game has been lighter than Arizona expected, but there is a clear reason for it. Mike LaFleur said the running back is dealing with an ankle injury that has affected his route running, which has limited how much the Cardinals can feature him as a receiver while he works through it.
The encouraging part for Arizona is that this does not sound like a permanent shift in usage. LaFleur expects Love to be involved more as a pass catcher once he gets back to full health, which makes his recovery worth watching for a team that could use another dimension out of the backfield. For now, the Cardinals are waiting on the injury to clear before they can unlock that part of his game. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Suddenly Face A Receiver Problem Cardinals Fans Should Watch
A late-game scare for Davante Adams has put the Rams receiver room back under the microscope, and that is the sort of development Cardinals fans will want to track closely. Adams came up limping after reaching for his left leg and left the field for attention, adding another layer of uncertainty to a group that was already thin behind him and Puka Nacua, who recently returned from injury.
For a Rams offense trying to stay balanced around its top targets, the depth chart suddenly looks more fragile than it did a week ago, and the trade deadline now looms larger as a possible source of help. No moves have been reported yet, but with limited proven depth beyond the top two receivers, this is exactly the kind of situation that can push a team to explore outside options sooner rather than later. [Read more 🡒]