League execs think Josh Sweat belongs in Dallas, but San Francisco is quietly positioning itself to steal the pass rusher away from the Arizona Cardinals and leave a conference rival empty-handed.
San Francisco’s roster is already built to compete for a ring today, but John Lynch rarely leaves good enough alone. Their latest DeForest Buckner trade with the Colts proves that. Pushing all-in for a Pro Bowl pass rusher before the deadline is the exact kind of move that could complete their roster, and the best available pass-rusher on the trade block is the Cardinals’ Josh Sweat.
Josh Sweat to 49ers Over Cowboys?
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Matt Bowen are big on the Cowboys making a move for Sweat, but he still thinks the 49ers have a shot at blowing up their plans in their faces.
“Rival teams could see him getting moved. ‘Sweat to Dallas makes a lot of sense to me.’ an NFC exec said. ‘That’s a profile fit.’ Rumblings persist that Sweat would want a new contract — he’s in the second year of a four-year, $76 million deal — and that could complicate things. But many teams are looking for an edge rusher,” Fowler writes, citing the 49ers as a team right beside the Cowboys as a potential landing spot.
“A long, angular mover who can win with speed-to-power, Sweat had 12 sacks and 37 pressures in Arizona last season,” Bowen wrote, saying that Sweat had a 40% chance of getting traded. “But his numbers haven’t been as solid in 2026, with two sacks and 10 pressures. Still, Sweat’s ability to threaten the edges of offensive tackles with his quickness off the ball fits pass-rush fronts across the league.”
San Francisco’s pass rush is quickly becoming a fatal flaw. Nick Bosa isn’t 100% healthy, Mykel Williams is still recovering from a torn ACL, and the depth behind them offers zero answers. Unless the 49ers pull off a deadline trade to fix this front seven, their postseason campaign will be chaos.
Sweat comes in as the perfect answer for it. The best part? He comes at a bargain.
Lynch made it clear that the Niners would swing for a player who won’t clog up their 2027 books at all with the 2027 fourth-round draft pick trade with the Colts to bring Buckner back home.
Adding Josh Sweat Won’t be a Financial Headache for the Niners
The market price making rounds for Sweat falls in the exact same category.
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox says Sweat would only cost the 49ers a 2027 conditional 4th-round pick.
However, Sweat’s fresh terms might be a kicker.
As ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported, Sweat isn’t interested in just being a half-season rental. He wants a fresh extension or an adjusted deal from whoever trades for him.
Josh Sweat’s four-year, $76.4 million deal ($38 million guaranteed) looks heavy on paper, but the financial math for an acquiring team is shockingly easy. Because Arizona already ate his $18.5 million signing bonus upfront, a trade partner takes on zero debt, only inheriting his remaining prorated 2026 base salary, weekly roster bonuses, and future non-guaranteed base years.
That presents a tricky dilemma for buyers like San Francisco or Dallas: they aren’t just sending a Day 3 draft pick to the desert. They have to sit down with his agent and write a heavy check to keep him happy for the long haul.
However, that is also where the 49ers hold all the leverage over the Cowboys. Even after bringing back DeForest Buckner, John Lynch is sitting on over $33 million in active cap space, meaning the 49ers can absorb Sweat’s remaining 2026 check without breaking a sweat or restructuring a single contract.
49ers Could Steal Cowboys’ $76 Million Pro Bowl Trade Target from Cardinals