As the San Francisco 49ers are making final roster decisions on Aug. 30, they could also be exploring the trade market. One area of concern for the Niners heading into the 2026 NFL season is their pass rush.
Nick Bosa has dealt with tendinitis during training camp and the preseason. Moreover, Bosa looks to be the only name that many would expect a high sack total from, although he’s coming off an ACL injury.
As a result, one name floating in the speculation mill for San Francisco is Arizona Cardinals veteran Josh Sweat. However, Wynston Wilcox of FanSided sees the Green Bay Packers as a landing spot for Sweat.
In his trade idea, Wilcox has the Packers sending a 2027 third-round pick for the pass rusher.
“Sweat continues to be a popular name for the Packers and other teams in search of pass-rushing help,” Wilcox wrote in an Aug. 29 article. “Green Bay can’t continue to be complacent knowing they need to bolster their defensive line. The longer they wait, the more expensive Sweat becomes.
“For now, he could cost just one Day 2 pick. The closer we get to the trade deadline, the more the Packers might have to give up to land him. Here’s an updated proposal Packers fans are begging the front office to entertain as Green Bay’s complacency is inching toward being alarming.”
Last season, Sweat played 540 defensive snaps for the Cardinals, leading to a 74.2 overall PFF defensive grade. Moreover, he generated 47 total pressures, 12 sacks, 29 hurries, and six QB hits. Sweat also registered three forced fumbles, 20 stops, and 11 solo tackles.
49ers Urged to Pursue Josh Sweat to Bolster Pass Rush
As for why the 49ers are in this speculation, KNBR’s Larry Krueger believes the team needs one more big-name pass rusher, and Sweat is the name he would like to see the Niners call for.
“They need one more [pass rusher],” Krueger said on the Aug. 28 edition of “49ers Collective.” “You’ve got five edge rushers, Bosa, Sam Okuayinonu, Keion White, Romello Height and Ogbo Okoronkwo, right now, but I think you probably need one more big-time rusher.
“I think they ought to make a big play for Josh Sweat. I think they should be calling [Arizona Cardinals general manager] Monti Ossenfort every day, all day, saying, ‘You want Kurtis Rourke? You want Alfred Collins? You want 2027 draft capital? Let’s talk.'”
Cardinals Would Be Better Off Trading Josh Sweat
Arizona is in a rebuild, and Wilcox notes that the team should be stockpiling picks for their veteran players like Sweat to help their rebuild.
The Arizona Cardinals have far more use from a top 100 draft pick than an aging veteran that can play for a contending team,“ Wilcox added in his article. “… Arizona shouldn’t feel the need to hold on to Sweat.
“Yes, he’s a good player to have, but ultimately, the draft pick is more valuable than the player in this situation. The Cardinals haven’t been actively shopping Sweat to teams, but they just might.”
It would be interesting to see whether the Cardinals would consider trading within the division if the Niners present a better offer than another team, like the Packers, for him.
Packers Get Intriguing Josh Sweat Take Amid 49ers Speculation