The Packers’ pass rush looks different without Micah Parsons, and that gap has only become more obvious as his ACL recovery drags on.
That uncertainty is why Green Bay has been floated as a fit for Arizona Cardinals edge rusher Josh Sweat. Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report suggested the Packers should explore a deal for the 29-year-old, noting that the Cardinals could be open to moving him even after general manager Monti Ossenfort previously said he didn’t want to trade Sweat.
“During the offseason, there was some trade chatter surrounding Cardinals pass-rusher Josh Sweat,” Knox wrote. “[General manager Monti Ossenfort has said he doesn’t want to trade Sweat but he] made that statement long before the Cardinals opened the season 1-4 and he decided to trade Harrison. Arizona's willingness to trade Harrison makes it reasonable to question whether its stance on Sweat could also change.
“The 29-year-old is signed through 2028 but looms as a potential 2027 cap casualty. The Cardinals could release him with a post-June 1 designation in the spring and save $18.1 million in cap space. It could make more sense to trade Sweat, who had 12 sacks last season, well ahead of 2027.”
Green Bay has not looked the same on defense without Parsons, a five-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro selection. The Packers are 3-6 including the playoffs in games he has missed, and that slide has come with defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley also gone to the Miami Dolphins.
The injury issues haven’t stopped there. The Packers have also lost budding linebacker Edgerrin Cooper and Pro Bowl defensive tackle Javon Hargrave for the season, leaving the front in a much thinner place than it was before.
Sweat would bring a steady track record. A former Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion, he has put up at least six sacks in every season since 2020. Over that span, he has logged 297 pressures, 185 hurries, 51 QB hits, 51 sacks and eight forced fumbles.
Arizona is not viewed as a playoff team, and that reality could push the Cardinals toward picking up draft capital while Sweat still carries strong value. For Green Bay, the appeal is simple: another proven rusher to pair with Lukas Van Ness, who has 16 pressures, eight hurries, five QB hits, 4.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks, and rookie Dani Dennis-Sutton, who has nine pressures, five hurries, two QB hits, 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.
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Packers Passing Surge Comes With One Concern Fans Can't Ignore
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Kevin Zeitler is part of the reason there is cautious optimism about the line holding up long enough for that momentum to last. With Jayden Reed still out and the offensive front needing to stay healthy, the Packers aerial surge feels promising, but it also comes with the familiar caveat that everything changes fast if protection starts to slip or more pieces have to be shuffled again. [Read more 🡒]