NFL free agency is next month and the Arizona Cardinals are expected to be active. They have big needs at the defensive edge to improve their pass rush, at guard, at linebacker and on the defensive line.
Many fans would love to see the Cardinals target Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Josh Sweat, who had eight sacks during the regular season and 2.5 in the Super Bowl, helping the Eagles beat the Kansas Chiefs.
Perhaps this is a perfect match because ESPN’s Matt Bowen named the Cardinals as the perfect team for Sweat.
Cardinals coach John Gannon worked with Sweat in Philly, so he knows what he’d be getting in the 6-5, 265-pound edge rusher. Sweat had eight sacks and 33 pressures in the regular season, and he took over at times in the Eagles’ Super Bowl LIX win, recording 2.5 sacks. Sweat would add much-needed pass-rushing juice to Gannon’s defense, using his speed-to-power to get to the QB.
Sweat played some of his best football when Gannon was Philly’s defensive coordinator. Sweat was a Pro Bowler in 2021 when he had 7.5 sacks and then had a career-high 11 sacks in 2022.
The Cardinals were led in sacks in 2024 by Zaven Collins, who had five, and Dennis Gardeck led them in 2023 with only six.
We will see if the team has as much interest as fans and whether general manager Monti Ossenfort believes the Cardinals are as good a match for Sweat as Bowen does.
Free agency begins March 10 when teams can begin to negotiate deals, although no deal can be made official until March 12 when the 2025 league year officially begins.
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