Josh Sweat skipped the Arizona Cardinals’ early OTAs this week, and the move immediately fed speculation that one of the team’s best pass rushers could be on the trade market. The 29-year-old edge rusher led Arizona with 12 sacks in 2025, but his absence from voluntary offseason work landed at a moment when the Cardinals are already being watched for what they might do next.
John Gambadoro of 98.7 FM Phoenix said Sweat’s absence was not injury-related, while Cardinals insider Kyle Odegard said he had been hearing for awhile that Sweat is not particularly happy in Arizona. That matters because Sweat is still only three years into a four-year, $76.4 million contract, and he turns 30 next spring. He has reached double-digit sacks in two of his eight pro seasons and has 55 sacks over his last five seasons, production that makes him one of the more recognizable edge defenders who could become available.
The contract structure is where the discussion starts to turn real. Arizona could save $10.9 million by trading Sweat after June 1, though that move would leave the Cardinals with a $31.8 million dead-cap hit. Dealing him before June 1 would cost Arizona an additional $5.6 million in 2026 cap space, which helps explain why any serious talk of moving him would likely be tied to the calendar as much as the player. OTAs are voluntary, and Sweat’s decision to stay away does not force a trade, but it does sharpen attention on a situation that already has some friction in it.
If Arizona ever decides to listen, the asking price is likely to start high enough to test the market. The team is expected to seek a third-round price similar to what the Philadelphia Eagles paid for Jaelan Phillips, and one projected deal floated a conditional 2027 fourth-round pick that could rise to a third-round pick if statistical thresholds are met. The timing could also matter for interested teams. The Chicago Bears won the NFC North despite producing only 35 sacks as a defense last season, and they still need a high-end complement to Montez Sweat on the edge. Dan Wiederer reported in April that the Bears had interest in Maxx Crosby, a sign that Chicago has been looking for help there. The Cincinnati Bengals also made a blockbuster trade shortly before the draft, another reminder that teams do not always wait for the cleanest moment to act.
For now, the Cardinals can keep Sweat and hope the relationship settles. Or they can decide that a 29-year-old rusher with three years left on a big deal is the sort of asset they should at least entertain moving, especially with other edge defenders such as Joey Bosa, Von Miller, Kyle Van Noy, Jadeveon Clowney and Leonard Floyd still available without trade compensation. The fact that Sweat did not show up for voluntary work is not the whole story. It is the part that makes the rest of it harder to ignore.
