A year after reaching the Super Bowl, Josh Sweat and the Philadelphia Eagles fell well short of their goals in 2023. Now, big changes are coming, and we’ve already seen some take place, such as swapping out defensive coordinators.
But now that the coaching staff is largely in place, it’s time to start rebuilding the roster in anticipation of another deep playoff run in 2024. General manager Howie Roseman is one of the best in the NFL. He’s seemingly always one step ahead of the team’s most pressing needs and has a strong feel for the trade market. Perhaps that’s why he’s reportedly discussing trading one of the team’s youngest Pro Bowl players this offseason.
Related: Ranking best NFL QB vacancies of 2024 offseason
Philadelphia Eagles listening to trade offers for Josh Sweat
The Philadelphia Eagles just negotiated a contract extension with Brandon Graham, who’s likely to return in a part-time role in the defensive line rotation. But he’s a lot more affordable than a player like Josh Sweat, who’s set to have a cap hit of $9 million in 2024.
Sure, Sweat is a lot younger (26 compared to 35), but again, he also has a lower cost. Not to mention, Sweat is entering the final year of his contract and will soon be seeking a much larger payday.
Perhaps that’s why Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero have passed along reports of the Eagles “having trade calls” on Sweat. Having started 46 games across the past three seasons, Sweat has become a key part of Philadelphia’s defense, but they also have Nolan Smith, who they believe is ready for a bigger role.
So if Sweat’s on the trade block, which teams might be interested in trading for the pass rusher? Here are just a few we came up with.
Related: 2024 NFL mock draft: Falcons find QB, Round 1 projections after NFL Combine
Ideal Josh Sweat trade landing spots include Arizona Cardinals
Pro Bowl pass rushers with 35 career sacks who are just 26 years old don’t come around often. Or, at least they don’t usually become available. But the Philadelphia Eagles seemingly always have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to defensive line talent, and Josh Sweat is simply the latest product of their success.
But if the Eagles aren’t willing to pay Sweat what he’s worth, plenty of other teams will.
Arizona Cardinals
Jonathan Gannon was the Eagles’ defensive coordinator for the two most productive seasons of Sweat’s career, and the Arizona Cardinals have a need for more pass rushers. Any Sweat trade list has to start in Arizona. Chances are Sweat would relish the opportunity to play for Gannon again, and he could be a perfect fit for the Cardinals’ needs.
Atlanta Falcons
If they can land a veteran QB via free agency, the Falcons could then use their No. 8 pick on an edge rusher. However, it’s possible the opposite becomes true, where Atlanta strikes out at QB, and then needs to find a young option in the draft. If so, pivoting to solving their edge-rushing needs via trade could be a fair compromise.
Chicago Bears
Trading for Montez Sweat set the Chicago Bears up nicely for the future, but now it’s time to pair him with another highly capable edge rusher to give Matt Eberflus a fearful defensive front. The Bears have plenty of cap space and draft capital to pull off such a trade, if they’re willing to pay the price.
Minnesota Vikings
With Danielle Hunter, D.J. Wonnum, and Marcus Davenport all set for free agency, the Vikings could be left with a barren wasteland at the pass rusher position this offseason. Depending on how their contract negotiations shake out, trading for a proven pass rusher like Sweat could make a lot of sense. Of course, the Vikings would then just have to pay him too.
New England Patriots
Boasting tons of cap space, and plenty of draft capital, the Patriots could be a perfect fit for Sweat. Jerod Mayo will be eager to add more talent on both sides of the ball, but reinforcing the defense could make an already good Patriots defense an elite unit that makes life easier on offense. But they’re just one of several teams likely to have interest in trading for Sweat.
Related: Watch legendary comedian Katt Williams run a 40-yard dash faster than some NFL athletes