The Green Bay Packers have yet to make a move at edge-rusher, but it is possible the team has simply been biding its time and waiting for the right moment/player to strike.
If that is the case, and the Packers do intend to buttress the pass rush in Micah Parsons‘ absence, which could be at least six games into the regular season, then Josh Sweat should be high on the list of potential candidates.
Harrison Graham of “Bears Now” explored the Sweat situation from a Chicago angle before also naming the Packers as a logical landing spot for the $76 million defensive end.
“He’s still on the [Arizona] Cardinals PUP list with this mysterious knee injury,” Graham said. “There were whispers, there were local reports in Arizona that behind the scenes Josh Sweat has requested a trade. He did not participate in OTAs. He did show up to mandatory minicamp but they were like, ‘Yeah, he’s got a minor knee thing going on, so he’s not gonna participate … oh, he’ll be ready for training camp.’”
“I think there’s a great chance that they’re just gonna activate him on PUP pretty soon, and he’s gonna get traded,” Graham added. “Now whether that’s gonna be to the Chicago Bears, to the Packers — where Jonathan Gannon also is, I think they would be interested — or another contender, I think he ends up getting moved.”
Josh Sweat Joined Cardinals to Play for Current Packers’ Defensive Coordinator Jonathan Gannon
GettyFormer Arizona Cardinals head coach and current Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon.
The Cardinals’ leadership has been vocal about not wanting to move Sweat, but the facts of the offseason are difficult to ignore.
Sweat played under Gannon when the two were with the Philadelphia Eagles and Gannon served as the defensive coordinator. Then Gannon got the head coaching job in Arizona and two years later, Sweat joined him there.
The one-time Pro Bowler produced a career year in 2025 with 12 sacks. However, the Cardinals went 3-14 and were among the worst teams in the NFL. The organization subsequently fired Gannon, after which Sweat reportedly began seeking a trade.
Sweat has not taken part in a single practice session since Arizona hired first-time head coach and offensive mind Mike LaFleur to run the team, and Graham openly questioned the veracity of Sweat’s knee injury on Friday, saying that he believes it’s simply an excuse for Sweat to hold out until the team can make a deal to move him.
Packers Profile as Strong Candidates to Add Pass-Rusher
GettyGreen Bay Packers edge-rusher Lukas Van Ness.
With Parsons out, Green Bay is going to rely heavily on Lukas Van Ness.
While the former first-round pick has been a solid player over his three years in the league, he has just 8.5 total sacks and has not proven a dominant force on the outside rushing the passer.
Given that, and coupled with Parsons’ injury, Green Bay makes a ton of sense as a team that should be hunting for another pass-rusher. And perhaps the Packers will be interested in Sweat, who Graham predicted will be moved by the mid-season deadline, if not prior to Week 1 in mid-September, if he becomes available.
Packers Named Trade Candidates for Ex-Eagles Pass-Rusher Coming Off Career Season