Philadelphia Eagles pass-rusher Josh Sweat isn’t going anywhere, after all.
According to a report from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Eagles and Sweat agreed to a restructured contract, ensuring that he’ll be returning to Philadelphia for the 2024 season amid reports the team had been fielding trade calls on him over the past week.
Sweat’s return comes amid a free agency masterclass being conducted by Eagles general manager Howie Roseman including signing Bryce Huff, who was among the premier pass-rushers available on the open market this offseason.
Now, it would appear that Philadelphia’s top pass rush duo will be Huff and Sweat, who enter the 2024 campaign with a combined 52.5 career sacks.
Even though Sweat’s production dipped a bit in 2023, posting 6.5 sacks on the heels of a breakout and career-high 11 sacks in 2022, Pro Football Focus points out he added 68 total quarterback pressures last season.
After restructuring his contract, Sweat figures to play a vital role in the Eagles’ new-look defense under incoming coordinator Vic Fangio.
What Josh Sweat’s Restructure Means for Haason Reddick’s Eagles Future
It would seem that the Eagles have made their decision on their preferred pass-rusher.
While Roseman and the Eagles began March 15 with upwards of $39 million in cap space, and it remains a possibility that the team could also rework Haason Reddick’s contract, restructuring Sweat’s deal seems to telegraph Reddick is available to the highest bidder.
After all, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported the Eagles had previously been shopping both of their starting edge rushers.
“Not an either/or situation,” McLane posted on X on Saturday, March 9. “From what I understand. If the Eagles can move both Reddick and Sweat, they will, and then be aggressive in how they replace them.
“Everyone has a price, but the team was also not happy with the lack of production from the starting edges and how they played in the defense in the second half of last season.”
The reality for Reddick is that there are only so many defensive snaps to go around, and only so much cap space that a franchise can allocate to the position. Committing to Sweat for 2024 suggests the Eagles are comfortable with the duo of Sweat and Huff at the position for this upcoming season.
Bryce Huff Not Losing His Edge on The Edge
Huff arrives in Philadelphia as a former undrafted rookie free-agent and says that he’s carried that mindset through his career with the New York Jets with plans to bring it with him south on the Jersey Turnpike to the Eagles.
“Just the fact that you came out and not a single team thought you were worthy of a draft pick, it kind of just stays in the back of your mind,” Huff told reporters during his introductory press conference with the Eagles.
“Even with having a new contract, just knowing that most of the guys on the team were drafted and were pinned as automatically just better than you. It’s definitely going to stick with me.”
Huff walks into a starting role, likely opposite Sweat, after producing 17.5 sacks through his first four seasons in New York, after 32 teams passed on him for seven rounds during the 2020 NFL Draft.
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Eagles Make Strong Commitment to Top Pass-Rusher, Restructure his Deal