Josh Sweat, the Cardinals’ 29-year-old edge rusher who led Arizona with 12 sacks in 2025, did not show for early organized team activities, a move that has sharpened trade talk around a player with three years left on a four-year, $76.4 million deal.
John Gambadoro of 98.7 FM Phoenix reported that Sweat’s absence is not injury-related, and Cardinals insider Kyle Odegard said he has “been hearing for awhile” that Sweat “is not particularly happy” in Arizona. Sweat finished the 2025 season with 12 sacks, four forced fumbles, two passes defended and 30 combined tackles, giving him 55 sacks over his last five seasons and double-digit totals in two of his eight pro seasons.
The roster math behind any move is immediate and blunt. Arizona could save $10.9 million by trading Sweat after June 1, but doing so would trigger a $31.8 million dead-cap hit; trading him before June 1 would instead cost an additional $5.6 million in 2026 cap space. Those figures help explain why the Cardinals are likely to start the bidding at a third-round price — the same level the Eagles paid for Jaelan Phillips — even though some outlets have suggested a conditional 2027 fourth-round pick that can become a 2027 third-rounder as the expected market.
The market fits two familiar facts: edge rushers remain valuable, and teams that chased postseason runs in 2025 still need help getting to the quarterback. The Chicago Bears, who won the NFC North with a defense that produced 35 sacks as a unit, still need a high-end complement to Montez Sweat. New England's defense recorded 34 sacks last season; K'Lavon Chaisson had 7.5 of those before leaving for Washington, and Harold Landry III led the Patriots with 8.5 sacks. New England added Dre'Mont Jones in free agency and drafted Gabe Jacas in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft, but pundits argue they could use another proven edge.
Christopher Knox pushed that idea explicitly: “While the Patriots are busy monitoring things with Brown, they should also have an eye on Sweat.” He added, “While New England made a stunning push to Super Bowl LX this past season, it didn't exactly benefit from an elite pass rush.” Knox concluded, “If they hope to make another Super Bowl run in 2026, though, they'd be wise to round out the rotation with Sweat.” Those are blunt assessments of fit — and reminders that interest in Sweat would come from teams with clear short-term needs.
Tension now centers on timing and price. Arizona can blunt the salary-cap pain by waiting until after June 1, but the accounting hit on the books would be large and immediate; moving Sweat earlier would trim that headline number at the expense of more 2026 cap room. At the same time, the franchise value of moving a productive, 29-year-old pass rusher who will turn 30 next spring and has a recent track record of 55 sacks across five seasons is high enough that a team seeking a late push might pay the Cardinals’ asking price — or simply wait for a cheaper veteran available without a trade compensation.
For Sweat himself the calculus is personal as much as financial. He logged 12 sacks and four forced fumbles in 2025 and has already produced enough to attract attention; if he remains away from OTAs and no deal materializes quickly, Arizona will face an awkward choice between a sizeable accounting penalty and a roster glut at a premium position. The practical outcome: unless either side slows the narrative, one clear next step is imminent — trade talks, formal or informal, will accelerate, and the June 1 roster accounting deadline will shape whether the Cardinals accept a lower return now or absorb a larger dead-cap hit later.
