ESPN’s Bowen: OLB Josh Sweat the best free agent fit for the Cardinals

With NFL free agency starting next week, one expert NFL writer thinks a top pass rushing free agent would be the best fit for the Arizona Cardinals.

Matt Bowen listed the Cardinals as the best free agent fit for Eagles outside linebacker Josh Sweat, noting his two seasons with playing under then-Eagles defensive coordinator and current Arizona head coach Jonathan Gannon.

Arizona coach Jonathan Gannon worked with Sweat in Philly, so he knows what he’d be getting in the 6-foot-5, 265-pound edge rusher. Sweat had eight sacks and 33 pressures in the regular season and recorded 2.5 sacks in the Eagles’ Super Bowl LIX win. He would add much-needed pass-rushing juice to Gannon’s defense, using his speed-to-power to get to the quarterback.

Under Gannon, Sweat made the Pro Bowl in 2021 and had a career-high 48 tackles and 11 sacks in 2022.

Sweat is coming off a season where he registered 41 tackles and eight sacks. Sweat made his impact felt during the Eagles playoff run with 10 total tackles, including 2.5 sacks in a 40-22 Super Bowl win against the Kansas City Chiefs.

ESPN list Sweat as the fifth-best free agent, while Pro Football Focus has him as the 10th best.

What the Cardinals pass-rush attack looks like headed into free agency?

The Cardinals enter the free agency period without having a player with double-digit sacks in a season since J.J. Watt’s 12.5 sacks in 2022.

The Cardinals registered 41 sacks in 2024, ranked 13th in the NFL despite no player on the team having more than outside linebacker Zaven Collins’ five sacks.

Arizona’s pass-rushing attack was hit hard by injury in 2024, losing defensive linemen Bilal Nichols, Justin Jones and outside linebacker Dennis Gardeck to season-ending injuries. Outside linebacker BJ Ojualri missed the entire season due to a knee injury he sustained in training camp. Rookie defensive lineman Darius Robinson also missed the Cardinals’ first 11 games due to a calf issue.

Arizona has several unrestricted free agents on defense, including Gardeck, MIKE backer Kyzir White, defensive lineman L.J. Collier and pass rusher Baron Browning.

When does NFL free agency start?

Starting at 10 a.m. on March 10, the Cardinals and other NFL teams can begin negotiating with agents of players who are set to become unrestricted free agents. March 12 at 2 p.m. MST is when the new league year begins where signings and trades can become official.

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