The Patriots have spent the offseason talking around one obvious need: they need more juice off the edge. New England explored the trade market, stayed put, and came away with enough confidence in its young pass-rush group after a promising preseason showing to keep moving forward - at least for now.
That stance may not last long. Harold Landry III will miss the start of the season, and there’s still no timetable for his return.
Since he led the team with 8.5 sacks last year, his absence is the kind of loss that changes the conversation fast. If New England’s pass rush sputters early, the trade deadline could become very real very quickly.
One name that has lingered in that discussion is Cardinals edge rusher Josh Sweat. The Patriots have been linked to him over the past few months, and there were reports this offseason that he wanted out of Arizona after just one season. The latest word from NFL insider Dan Graziano is that the Cardinals do not intend to move him right now, but that doesn’t mean the door stays shut.
“There certainly exists a world in which the Cardinals fall out of contention between now and the trade deadline. There have been several reports this offseason about Sweat being unhappy in Arizona and possibly wanting out.
He has no guaranteed money in his contract beyond this season, and a team that hypothetically trades for him halfway through the season would have to pay him only about $5 million.”
That’s the part the Patriots have to keep watching. If Arizona starts sliding, and if Sweat’s frustration grows with every loss, the Cardinals could become more willing to listen. Graziano thinks a deal could happen if they’re already out of the race by October.
Sweat just put together the best season of his career in 2025, finishing with 30 combined tackles, 13 for a loss, 17 quarterback hits, 2 passes defended, 4 forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, and 12 sacks in 17 games started. That’s the kind of production New England is missing while Landry is out and the rest of the edge group is asked to do more with less proven talent around them.
If the Patriots want a cleaner answer at pass rusher, Sweat fits the profile. The catch is price, and there’s no guarantee Arizona would make that easy. Still, if New England’s defense starts getting exposed by some of the league’s best and most mobile quarterbacks, the front office may not have the luxury of waiting around.
For now, it comes down to how the Cardinals perform and whether they become open to offers. That could be the one thing standing between the Patriots and a move they may need to make.
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For the Patriots, the move is as much about coverage as it is about upside. Hunter gives them an extra body in a spot they need to reinforce, and he also brings a path to contributing on special teams, which is often how unproven defenders carve out a place on the roster. The question now is whether his preseason momentum can carry into a bigger opportunity when the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]