Trade speculation continues to swirl around veteran edge rusher Josh Sweat as the NFL preseason winds down, with the Green Bay Packers emerging as one of the teams that could pursue him if the Arizona Cardinals decide to move the highly paid defender.
Sweat remains on the Cardinals’ physically unable to perform list because of a knee issue that has kept him off the practice field for much of the offseason. The situation has fueled talk that the former Philadelphia Eagles standout may soon change teams.
Analyst Harrison Graham of “Bears Now” recently examined the rumors and pointed to Green Bay as a logical destination.
“He’s still on the [Arizona] Cardinals PUP list with this mysterious knee injury,” Graham said. “There were whispers, there were local reports in Arizona that behind the scenes Josh Sweat has requested a trade. He did not participate in OTAs. He did show up to mandatory minicamp but they were like, ‘Yeah, he’s got a minor knee thing going on, so he’s not gonna participate … oh, he’ll be ready for training camp.’”
Graham went further in assessing the likelihood of a deal.
“I think there’s a great chance that they’re just gonna activate him on PUP pretty soon, and he’s gonna get traded,” Graham added. “Now whether that’s gonna be to the Chicago Bears, to the Packers — where Jonathan Gannon also is, I think they would be interested — or another contender, I think he ends up getting moved.”
The Packers have not yet addressed their edge-rushing needs this offseason beyond existing roster pieces. Micah Parsons is expected to miss at least the first six games of the regular season, leaving a noticeable gap in the pass rush. That absence has put extra pressure on young players such as Lukas Van Ness to produce.
Van Ness has shown promise since being selected in the first round three years ago, yet his career total of 8.5 sacks indicates he has not yet developed into a consistent dominant force off the edge. Adding an experienced veteran like Sweat could provide the kind of immediate help Green Bay’s defense may require while Parsons recovers.
Sweat’s connection to Packers defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon adds another layer of intrigue. The two previously worked together in Philadelphia when Gannon served as the Eagles’ defensive coordinator. After Gannon took the head-coaching job in Arizona, Sweat later followed him to the Cardinals.
Last season Sweat delivered a career-best performance with 12 sacks. Despite that individual success, Arizona finished 3-14 and ranked among the league’s weaker teams. The Cardinals subsequently dismissed Gannon and brought in first-time head coach Mike LaFleur, an offensive specialist.
Since LaFleur’s arrival, Sweat has not participated in any practice sessions. Cardinals officials have publicly maintained they do not want to trade the edge rusher. Still, the combination of Sweat’s reported trade request, his absence from workouts, and the team’s poor record has made it difficult to dismiss the possibility of a move.
Graham has openly expressed skepticism about the severity of the knee injury, suggesting it may serve more as a mechanism that allows Sweat to stay away from the field until a trade can be arranged. Whether the injury is genuine or strategic, the clock is ticking toward the start of the regular season.
If the Cardinals activate Sweat from the PUP list in the coming days or weeks, interest from contending teams is expected to intensify. Green Bay’s need for pass-rush help, combined with the familiarity between Sweat and Gannon, positions the Packers as a strong candidate should Arizona open the door to offers.
Any potential deal would likely need to be completed before mid-September or by the midseason trade deadline at the latest. For now, the Packers continue to evaluate options while preparing for a season that already features one significant absence on the defensive line.
How the situation unfolds in the next few weeks could reshape both the Cardinals’ roster and Green Bay’s hopes of maintaining a competitive defense early in 2026.
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