The Philadelphia Eagles are looking to trade one of their top pass-rushers.
According to a March 9 report from Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, the Eagles are taking trade calls on veteran pass rusher Josh Sweat.
Sweat, 26, remains in the prime of his career and is coming off a strong 2023 regular season in which he posted 6.5 sacks with 43 total tackles. According to Pro Football Focus, Sweat also added 68 total quarterback pressures while garnering a strong 74.1 pass-rush rating from the outlet.
Even though his numbers dipped in 2023, Sweat believes he was still playing at a high level.
“It’s just not showing up how I want it to,” Sweat told NBCSports Philadelphia. “I’m affecting the quarterback. That’s all I can say. I am affecting the quarterback more than I ever have in my career, at a higher level than I ever have in my career, won more rushes.
“The sacks just haven’t been hitting but I’ve been rushing better than I have in my career. I’m even way better than I was last year with my rushes in terms of how much I’m around the quarterback, how much I’m hitting and how much I’m pressuring. That’s what keeps me going. Whether it (the sacks) comes or not, I’m going to keep affecting the quarterback.”
During the Eagles’ run to the Super Bowl following the 2022 season, Sweat emerged as one of the more disruptive pass rushers in the league and one of Philadelphia’s most dominant front seven defenders. That season, Sweat produced a career-high 11 sacks and a personal-best 48 total tackles.
Why Eagles May be Trying to Trade Josh Sweat
The Eagles’ defense could be on the cusp of undergoing a transformation with new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio taking the reins of a unit that collapsed down the stretch last season.
Earlier this offseason, the Eagles also granted top pass rusher Haason Reddick permission to seek a trade.
The Eagles, and Fangio, could be attempting to create opportunities for 2023 first-round draft choice Nolan Smith to see the field. Smith only contributed one sack during a rookie season in which he was on the field for only 91 pass-rush snaps as a rotational player.
Because pass rushers are considered a premium position, and this is expected to be a weak class of free agents, the Eagles could be motivated to add additional draft capital this year. Given market conditions, Philadelphia could potentially fetch a larger-than-expected asking price for Sweat.
What Would be the Salary Cap Ramifications of Sweat Trade?
Even after the salary cap rose to an unprecedented $255.4 million in 2024, general manager Howie Roseman and the Eagles could look to create added spending flexibility before the new league year begins.
However, trading Sweat wouldn’t be the most cap-friendly move.
Teams can always work out which team takes on a portion of a player’s remaining salary and obligations against the cap. But, if the Eagles deal Sweat prior to June 1, the move would trigger a $14.31 million dead-money charge while costing an additional $5.38 million against the cap for the 2024 season.
As of March 9, Roseman and the Eagles currently have upwards of $40.7 million in cap space, representing the 16th-most spending flexibility in the league.
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Eagles Taking Trade Calls on Pass-Rusher With 35 Sacks