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Arizona Cardinals edge rusher and former Eagles star Josh Sweat.
The Philadelphia Eagles never should have let edge rusher Josh Sweat walk out the door. That doesn’t seem up for debate at this point.
Now, just 1 year after leaving the Eagles for a 4-year, $76.4 million free-agent contract with the Arizona Cardinals, Sweat finds himself in the NFL rumor mill after not showing up for OTAs.
Perhaps the biggest issue for Sweat — and the reason for his absence — is that the Cardinals suck right now. Going 3-14 in 2025 was too much for him to handle after winning a Super Bowl the previous year with the Eagles.
“Don’t know the exact reason for the absence, but I’ve been hearing for awhile that Josh Sweat is not particularly happy in AZ,” NFL reporter Kyle Odegard wrote on his official X account on May 19.
The Eagles have been trade-happy when it comes to edge rushers in recent years, cutting a deal for Miami Dolphins edge rusher Jaelan Phillips at the 2025 trade deadline, then trading for Minnesota Vikings edge rusher Jonathan Greenard this offseason, and signing him to a 4-year, $98 million contract extension.
Who’s to say they couldn’t still cut a deal to bring Sweat back?
All Signs Point to Messy Exit for Josh Sweat
Sweat’s discontent in Arizona could also be tied to the fact that the man who brought him in, Cardinals head coach and former Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, was fired in January after going 15-36 in 3 seasons in Arizona.
“Interestingly, Odegard didn’t say Sweat is in a contract dispute with the Cardinals,” Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton wrote on May 20. “He’s in the second year of his deal, but his pact has no guaranteed money beyond 2026. Coming off a career-high 12 sacks last season, the 29-year-old may want more financial security. Also, keep in mind that Sweat reunited with Jonathan Gannon, who took the Cardinals’ head-coaching job in 2023 after two years as the Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator. Arizona fired him in January. Sweat’s issue with the Cardinals may go beyond his contract, though a pay raise could smooth things over with the premier pass-rusher.”
Josh Sweat Got Emotional Over Pro Bowl Snub
One thing that didn’t change from Sweat’s time in Philly to his time in Arizona was his ability to dominate NFL offensive tackles.
In 2025, Sweat had a career-high 12.0 sacks to go with 13 TFL, 17 QB hits, and 4 forced fumbles. Sweat thought those numbers should have made him a Pro Bowler or NFL All-Pro, but he ended up getting neither.
Sweat finding out he didn’t make the Pro Bowl proved to be a bit of a trigger.
“I’m upset because there’s only two individual things that you can get and it’s Pro Bowl and All-Pro,” Sweat told ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss after he wasn’t selected to the Pro Bowl. “And I got one taken away from me. I’m just flat out saying it was taken away from me — and it ain’t the first time … It’s like I don’t know what else I could have done at that point. I don’t know what else I could have done. Now, in previous years, maybe you could have said he didn’t have the popularity, maybe he didn’t get the fan vote. This year, I was second in fan voting for NFC. It’s like, what else did they want me to do?”
Tony Adame covers the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Commanders, Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos. A veteran sports writer and editor since 2004, his work has been featured at Stadium Talk, Yardbarker, NW Florida Daily News and Pensacola News Journal. More about Tony Adame