The Dallas Cowboys’ need off the edge is obvious, and as the trade deadline approaches, one name is starting to stand out: Josh Sweat.
NFL insider Jason La Canfora reported that people around the league believe the Cowboys are “well positioned” to strike a deal with the Arizona Cardinals. That buzz picked up because the Cardinals appear increasingly willing to move pieces, including the former Super Bowl champion edge rusher who won it with the Philadelphia Eagles.
“Multiple personnel executives believe the Cowboys are well positioned to do business with the Cardinals, who are trading receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and probably quarterback Jacoby Brissett too if they can and are tanking for 2027,” he said.
La Canfora also said Sweat has wanted out of Arizona since the Cardinals moved on from former head coach Jonathan Gannon, and that the “drumbeat about his discontent is getting louder.”
He expects Dallas to be active if Sweat gets into the market.
The dissatisfaction isn’t exactly new. Cardinals insider Kyle Odegard reported back in May that Sweat “is not particularly happy in (Arizona).”
The reasons are easy to follow. Sweat didn’t like Gannon being fired, he’s playing for a team in the middle of a rebuild, and there’s no guaranteed money left on the final two years of his contract.
Dallas has its own problem, and it’s a glaring one. Through five games, the Cowboys have just five sacks, and only half of that total has come from the edge rushers.
The pass rush has created pressure at times, but not enough finished plays. When the rush doesn’t close, the secondary is left exposed.
Sweat’s 2025 start hasn’t been pretty either. He has one sack in five games, but that comes with a big asterisk: he’s producing it on a bad team. The track record says there’s more there.
Over the last six seasons, Sweat has reached at least six sacks every year. Two of those seasons featured 11 or more, and he set a career high with 12 last season.
There’s also the contract angle. Sweat would not be a rental, since he has two years left on his deal. The Cowboys might want to guarantee some of his salary, but they wouldn’t be chasing an extension.
The real question is the price. Sweat should not require a massive haul, and a third-round pick already feels steep. If Arizona gets that kind of value, it would likely come in a deal that includes a pick swap.
Dallas does have some draft ammunition available, including a fourth-round pick next year from the Pittsburgh Steelers and its own third- and fourth-round picks in 2028.
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