The Dallas Cowboys must hang on to every positive element they can find from the past two weeks, when the team lost both of its games to fall to 2-4 and raise more than a few questions about how legitimate a playoff team this really is. But one positive is that the team got a better effort from their defensive front in Week 6, with rookie Malachi Lawrence in the mix and with Rashan Gary putting forth arguably his best performance yet as a Cowboy. But neither is a true quarterback-hunting edge, and what the Cowboys need perhaps more than anything is someone can get to the quarterback and bring him to the ground.
There is a consensus forming, it seems, that Josh Sweat could be that player. Sweat is a former Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champ when he was with the Eagles–playing in a Vic Fangio defense on which the Cowboys’ system is based–who has 57.0 sacks to his credit in his career and 2.0 so far this season.
Josh Sweat a ‘Perfect Profile Fit’
This weekend, in looking ahead to the November 10 NFL trade deadline, ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler again linked a Sweat trade to the Cowboys. He brought up the obvious concern about Dallas making a trade–the team has just four draft picks in 2027 after deals for Joey Porter Jr. and Broderick Jones–but if the Cowboys are selling out to win this year, coughing up more picks is the only way to fill holes.
Speaking on “SportsCenter,” Fowler said: “The problem for the Cowboys, they do not have a lot of draft picks but they are looking always for help. And there are pass rushers. Let’s start with Josh Sweat in Arizona, I checked with a few league execs who said that Dallas and Josh Sweat would be a perfect profile fit. Arizona sitting at 2-4 could try to acquire more draft capital. Edge rushers are a position to watch over the next few weeks.”
Cowboys a Top Contender for a Trade
At The Athletic this week, analyst Daniel Popper also listed Sweat as a top trade candidate–and tabbed the Cowboys as one of the best fits for a deal.
He writes: “Sweat is in only the second year of a four-year free-agent contract he signed with the Cardinals in 2025. But he signed that contract to join up with former Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon, who was fired after last season. Sweat played for Gannon with the Eagles. The Cardinals would take on $18.3 million in dead money in 2027 if they trade Sweat before the deadline. Sweat got off to a slow start this season, but he was very impactful in the Cardinals’ Week 6 win over the Rams.
Per Spotrac, the Cowboys have one first-rounder in 2027, plus a second-rounder, Pittsburgh’s fourth-rounder and New England’s seventh-rounder.
Cowboys Again Linked to Trade for ‘Perfect Fit’ Pass-Rusher