The Green Bay Packers have been floated as a possible destination for one of the NFL’s top edge rushers, with Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox putting Arizona Cardinals Pro Bowl defender Josh Sweat on a list of trade candidates before the new season.
That kind of chatter fits a Packers team that still expects to contend despite a rough finish to 2025. Green Bay dropped its final five games last season, but the roster remains loaded, and the defense is supposed to be one of the team’s biggest strengths again. Even with Micah Parsons out for the first four to five weeks of the season, the expectation is that the unit can still be excellent once he’s back.
The idea of adding another impact pass rusher only makes the picture more interesting. Sweat has been a productive player for Arizona, and there have been rumors that he wants a way out. If that’s true, Green Bay could make sense as a landing spot.
Sweat’s numbers from last season back up why he’s drawing attention. In 17 games for the Cardinals, he posted 30 total tackles, 12.0 sacks, and four forced fumbles. Arizona gave him a four-year, $76.4 million contract before last season, so any move would come with plenty of weight.
There’s also a connection that would make the fit easy to imagine. Packers defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon coached the Cardinals last season, and that familiarity could give Green Bay an edge if it ever tried to get involved.
Still, a trade is far from certain. ESPN NFL insider Dan Graziano reported that Arizona was not looking to move Sweat. But that doesn’t always mean much this time of year, when front offices often say one thing and do another later.
If Sweat ever does become available, the Packers would be an obvious team to watch. A defense that already looks dangerous could get even nastier with another Pro Bowl edge rusher added to the mix.
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