The 2026 Arizona Cardinals season is now just 11 days from opening up.
Arizona’s first game of the season comes on September 13 against the Los Angeles Chargers. While hope rests in the offense to exceed expectations, the defense is facing a myriad of challenges.
This includes EDGE Josh Sweat, who is continuing to be at the center of trade rumors despite returning to the team last week.
Arizona Isn’t Moving Sweat – Yet
ESPN insider Dan Graziano believes that it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Sweat become subject of a trade by midseason.
“The Cardinals are telling interested teams they aren’t planning to trade Sweat, and I believe that to be true… However … there certainly exists a world in which the Cardinals fall out of contention between now and the trade deadline.
The Cardinals are facing a brutal stretch to start the season. There’s a real possibility that the team is winless heading into the November 10 trade deadline. Does this mean that the Cardinals should consider trading Sweat?
“Arizona is going to continue to get calls. Though I believe the team doesn’t want to trade him, I also know these things change. And if Arizona is out of it in late October and/or Sweat indicates he doesn’t want to be there anymore, you’ll hear his name ahead of the deadline.”
Arizona trading Sweat wouldn’t be great business for a defense lacking much talent off of the edge. However, it has to become a consideration if the season starts off in tepid fashion and Sweat expresses discontent.
How Cardinals Can Reconcile Possible Sweat Trade
As aforementioned, Arizona trading Sweat away would be bad business for the immediate outlook of the roster. The Cardinals’ EDGE group behind Sweat features Baron Browning, Zaven Collins, and Jordan Burch. Each of these players are solid on their own merit, but Sweat is necessary to lead the charge of a collectively productive unit.
Parting with Sweat’s “value contract” that pays the Florida State product $34,000,000 over the 2027 and 2028 seasons (Spotrac) is another area that would sting. Sweat is on the same level of production in comparison to many players that are making more money annually. Parting ways with this break that GM Monti Ossenfort received is a frightening proposition.
The one area that has potential to reconcile the Cardinals’ parting ways with Sweat is in draft positioning. The Cardinals are very likely to receive a day-two draft pick for the services of Sweat in this event. This would add to an expansive war chest that is forming for Arizona in what is shaping up to be a historic draft class.
Arizona might not be keen to deal a player that recorded 47 pressures in the 57th most snaps at the position (PFF), but it might ultimately be a decision that has to be made for the good of the franchise.
Sweat is on track to play in Arizona’s season-opening game – now is the time to see if his Cardinals’ tenure lasts.
NFL Insider Predicts Josh Sweat’s Future With Arizona Cardinals Amid Trade Buzz