With the Nov. 10 trade deadline closing in, Josh Sweat has started to look like one of the more interesting names to watch. ESPN reported that the Arizona Cardinals pass rusher is drawing interest around the league, and the list of possible landing spots already includes a few teams that could use help off the edge.
Arizona’s record makes the situation easy to read. At 2-5 entering Week 8 and sitting last in the NFC West, the Cardinals are being viewed as a possible seller. They already moved former first-round wideout Marvin Harrison Jr. to the Houston Texans, and Sweat could be the next veteran on the move if the team decides to chase future draft capital.
Sweat is under contract through 2028 after signing a four-year, $76.4 million deal with Arizona in 2025. But according to Over The Cap, there is no guaranteed salary left after the 2026 season. That detail only adds to the speculation as teams keep checking on his availability.
The 29-year-old’s path to this point has been a productive one. Philadelphia drafted him in the fourth round in 2018 out of Florida State, and he spent his first seven seasons with the Eagles. He made the Pro Bowl in 2021 and was part of the Super Bowl LIX team that beat Kansas City, a game in which he had 2.5 sacks.
His first year in Arizona was his best as a pass rusher. In 2025, Sweat posted a career-high 12 sacks and added 17 quarterback hits. This season, through seven games, he has two sacks, four quarterback hits and three tackles for loss.
Even before the deadline chatter, Sweat’s future in Arizona already felt unsettled. He reportedly asked for a trade after head coach Jonathan Gannon was fired last offseason. Gannon had coached him as defensive coordinator in Philadelphia, but the Cardinals front office turned down the request at the time.
Now, with the deadline approaching and Arizona trending toward seller status, teams are again asking the question: is Sweat actually available?
Dallas is one of the clubs to keep an eye on. ESPN’s report specifically mentioned the Cowboys as a team in the mix, and Jerry Jones has been aggressive over the last year in trying to upgrade his defense. The latest move came with a trade for Steelers corner Joey Porter Jr., and adding Sweat would be another swing at fixing a unit that has struggled badly.
The numbers in Dallas are ugly. Entering Week 8, the Cowboys are tied for third-most total yards allowed per game at 373.7, second-most rushing yards allowed per game at 145.7, last in opponent third-down conversion rate at 52.% and 30th in takeaways with four. Their pass rush has also lagged, with the team tied for the fourth-fewest sacks in the league and sitting in the bottom 10 in pressures.
Green Bay is another possibility, though the fit is a little different. The Packers already have Lukas Van Ness on the edge and are set to get back Micah Parsons soon, so the immediate need is not as obvious as it is for some other teams. They also own a 7.2% sack rate, which just cracks the top 10, and a 36.1% pressure rate that lands in the middle of the pack.
What makes Green Bay stand out is Jonathan Gannon. He is the Packers’ current defensive coordinator, and his history with Sweat is obvious.
Gannon coached him in Philadelphia and then again in Arizona after taking over as head coach. That connection could matter if Green Bay decides to make a move, especially with Chicago having already made a blockbuster trade for Jeffery Simmons earlier this week.
Buffalo rounds out the group of potential suitors, and the case there is built around urgency. The Bills are 5-1 and sitting atop the AFC East while Josh Allen leads the NFL in total touchdowns with 17. But the defense has been a problem, ranking 30th in points allowed per game at 28.5, 27th on third down at 45%, 31st in penalties per game at 3.7 and last in points allowed per drive at 2.76.
The pass rush has not been enough either. Buffalo is 20th in pressure rate and 27th in sack rate, which leaves room for a player like Sweat to matter quickly. With the playoff race coming into focus, a veteran edge rusher with double-digit sack upside would make sense for a team trying to push through the AFC field.
In Other News...
Bills Passing Game Hinges On One Crucial Week 8 Receiver Call
The Bills passing game is waiting on one of its biggest Week 8 decisions, with D.J. Moore listed as questionable for Sundays matchup against the Ravens. Moore has been working back from a shoulder injury that first surfaced in Week 2 and was aggravated in Week 4, leaving him out for the past two games while Buffalo has had to adjust without one of its more important receiving options.
Moore was limited in practice throughout the week, and the Bills have kept his workload controlled as kickoff approaches. His status will not be settled until the team releases its inactive list before the game, which is when Buffalo will finally learn whether it has Moore available for a matchup that could shape how the offense attacks Baltimore. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Suddenly Face A Secondary Test Ahead Of Lamar Jackson
Buffalo is making a few quiet but telling moves in the secondary ahead of a Week 8 matchup that suddenly looks a lot more demanding. The Bills signed defensive back TeCory Couch to the active roster and elevated safety Geno Stone and cornerback A.J. Woods from the practice squad, a set of transactions that points to how seriously they are treating the challenge coming from Baltimore.
The timing matters because Lamar Jackson is back from injury for the Ravens, and Buffalo is already dealing with a hole in its defensive backfield with C.J. Gardner-Johnson suspended for Sundays game. Against a quarterback who can stress a defense in so many ways, the Bills are adding depth and flexibility wherever they can, trying to make sure the back end is ready for a test that could force them to lean on every available body. [Read more 🡒]
Bills-Ravens Suddenly Took A Brutal Turn No One Expected
Lamar Jacksons return from an ankle injury had already been one of the biggest storylines of the Ravens visit to Buffalo, and it took a sudden turn early in the game when he was forced to leave with a thumb injury on his right hand. After missing three games, Jackson was back under center for Baltimore, but the matchup quickly shifted from a marquee quarterback showdown to a test of depth and survival.
Tyler Huntley stepped in after Jackson exited, and the Ravens were left scrambling to keep the offense moving against a Bills team that suddenly had a very different game script to work with. Rookie Joe Fagnano also entered the picture, giving Baltimore an even thinner margin for error and leaving plenty of uncertainty around how the rest of the night would unfold. [Read more 🡒]