Arizona Cardinals edge rusher Josh Sweat. Getty
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 01: Owner Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys looks on during warm ups prior to the game against the Arizona Cardinals at AT&T Stadium on November 01, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
The Arizona Cardinals might be the team to look out for before the trade deadline based on how much trade leverage they have. First, they pulled off a blockbuster with Marvin Harrison Jr., then pulled off another one with Jacoby Brissett.
Josh Sweat could be the next one.
Upgrading the pass rush has been a top priority for the Dallas Cowboys as the trade deadline ticks down, and Arizona's Josh Sweat sits right at the top of their wishlist.
GettyArizona Cardinals edge rusher Josh Sweat.
But pulling off a deal for the veteran edge rusher isn't as simple as swapping draft picks. According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler , Sweat's contract demands are creating a massive hurdle that could force Jerry Jones and the Cowboys to rethink pulling the trigger.
"Cardinals edge rusher Josh Sweat has been linked to Dallas, which could be in the pass rush market but hasn't made any moves there yet," Fowler writes. "The sense I get from teams in the edge rusher market is that Sweat would prefer a new deal as part of a trade — or at least a sweetener, such as a raise on his $18.1 million salary this year or next. He's in the second year of a four-year, $76 million contract, so wanting it reworked so early in the deal could be a hurdle to a trade."
When the Arizona Cardinals signed Sweat in free agency in March 2025, they backed up the truck, handing him a four-year, $76.4 million deal averaging $19.1 million annually, packed with $41 million in total guarantees.
Arizona has already eaten the initial signing bonus, meaning a trading partner wouldn't be on the hook for the entire $76.4 million. However, the acquiring team still has to take on his remaining prorated base salary and future guaranteed money, a hefty hit for cap-strapped front offices.
Because Sweat is locked into a multi-year deal through 2028, he holds leverage over his destination.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.
According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, Sweat wants financial security or an adjustment to his cash flow before greenlighting a move. The team acquiring him won't just hand over draft picks to Arizona. They will likely have to convert base salary into immediate bonuses or take on fresh guarantees to satisfy Sweat's camp.
Unlike a half-season rental player, trading for Sweat means locking in a near-$19 million AAV commitment on the defensive line through his age-31 season. That reshapes how the new team builds its future cap structure around other star extensions.
The Cardinals might be fielding calls on Sweat, but there is zero chance Monti Ossenfort accepts a lowball offer just to move off their Pro Bowl pass-rusher.
Earlier in the week, Schefter and Ian Rapoport noted that the Cardinals might just say yes if the trade offer is too good to refuse.
"The Arizona Cardinals have already shown they are willing to trade a player for the right price. In August, general manager Monti Ossenfort said the Cardinals were not interested in trading Sweat. But now the Cardinals are 2-4, and unless they turn it around, they could be willing to listen to meaningful offers," Schefter and Rapoport wrote.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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