There are Philadelphia Eagles reporters who believe the team could still add another edge rusher despite the fact that they traded for Jonathan Greenard during the 2026 NFL Draft.
While Nolan Smith Jr. and Jalyx Hunt have a lot of promise, the Eagles want to add as much depth as possible to their edge rusher room. Bleacher Report writer Kristopher Knox listed the Eagles as one of seven teams that should make a trade for a player they are very familiar with: Arizona Cardinals edge rusher Josh Sweat.
"The Eagles recorded a respectable 42 sacks in 2025, but they didn't have any one defender who could consistently win on the edge one-on-one. Jalyx Hunt led the team with just 6.5 sacks. Philly's lack of a consistent pass rush is why the team was willing to part with a third-round pick for a half-season of Phillips. It's why the Eagles should make a play to bring Sweat back into the fold now. Sweat, a 2018 fourth-round pick, spent his first seven seasons in Philadelphia before leaving for Arizona in free agency. He had eight regular-season sacks and another 2.5 sacks in the playoffs during Philadelphia's 2024 Super Bowl run. While the Eagles did trade a pair of third-round picks to acquire Jonathan Greenard during the draft, they could use more help on the edge. A reunion with Sweat could be just what Philly needs to restore its defense to the championship form it had a couple of years ago."
Should the Eagles make the trade for Josh Sweat before the 2026 season begins?
There are reports out of Arizona that Sweat is not happy with the team and could already be looking to get out the door after one season. The Cardinals signed Sweat to a four-year, $76.4 million contract last offseason after helping the Eagles win the Super Bowl the previous season. Sweat had a career-best 12 sacks last season with the Cardinals.
The contract Sweat signed with the Cardinals is actually pretty favorable for the Eagles in 2026 if they wanted to bring him in, as he is only owed $9.7 million in base salary and has a cap hit of $16.3 million. After the Eagles decide to trade wide receiver A.J. Brown, they will have the money to pay for Sweat for at least the 2026 season.
Eagles fans might hesitate at the idea of spending all that money on Sweat, as this was the main reason general manager Howie Roseman moved on from him in the first place, because of how expensive he is. Plus, the trade value will be interesting as the Eagles don't want to surrender first or second-round picks to acquire Sweat.
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Sweat had a lot of success in Philly to start his career, which included a Pro Bowl selection in 2021, but Smith and Hunt's potential is high enough that the Eagles don't have to trade for Sweat just yet. If his asking price drops, it might be worth a conversation.
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