The Arizona Cardinals’ signing of outside linebacker Josh Sweat was listed as the best move the team made this offseason, according to The Athletic’s Mike Sando.
Sando noted signing Sweat addressed one of the team’s biggest needs headed into 2025. The Cardinals have not had a player with double-digit sacks in a season since J.J. Watt’s 12.5 sacks in 2022.
Adding Sweat in free agency addressed Arizona’s massive need for proven pass-rush help. Sweat’s 43 sacks for Philadelphia since 2019 dwarf the totals for any Cardinal over that span. Arizona’s most productive pass rushers since then — Chandler Jones (30.5 sacks), Dennis Gardeck (17), Markus Golden (16.5), Haason Reddick (13.5) and Watt (13.5) are long gone from the roster, save for Gardeck.
The Cardinals registered 41 sacks in 2024, which ranked 13th in the NFL despite no player on the team having more than outside linebacker Zaven Collins’ five sacks.
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Sweat is coming off a season with the Philadelphia Eagles where he registered 41 tackles and eight sacks. Sweat had an impressive showing in the playoffs, registering 10 total tackles, including 2.5 sacks in a 40-22 Super Bowl win against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Sando added Sweat’s previous connections with the Cardinals coaching staff as another reason for naming Sweat as the Cardinals best offseason move. Sweat previously played under then-Eagles defensive coordinator and Arizona head coach Jonathan Gannon and Cardinals defensive coordinator and then-Eagles linebackers coach Nick Rallis for two seasons (2021-22).
Sweat carries risk with a knee that requires management, but his history with the Cardinals’ coaches assures a solid fit.
Under Gannon and Rallis, Sweat made the Pro Bowl in 2021 and had a career-high 48 tackles and 11 sacks in 2022.
Josh Sweat key move during Cardinals offseason
Signing Sweat was one of the key moves during an offseason that saw the Cardinals spend heavily on defensive line help in free agency, while supplementing those additions by way of the NFL Draft.
In addition to signing Sweat, the Cardinals signed defensive lineman Dalvin Tomlinson to a two-year contract and brought back Calais Campbell on a one-year deal.
Arizona also added Ole Miss defensive lineman Walter Nolen and Oregon EDGE Jordan Bruch through the draft.
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