Ossenfort: Cardinals not looking to trade Josh Sweat as he works his way off PUP list

GLENDALE — In what sounded originally like a short stint on the physically unable to perform list — similar to what we saw with offensive lineman Paris Johnson Jr. — Arizona Cardinals pass rusher Josh Sweat remains on the shelf with training camp breaking Tuesday.

Even with the extended week of work, the pass rusher has been nowhere to be found when it comes to getting on the grass.

For all the talk about Sweat doing his own thing away from the team, it gets odder by the day.

General manager Monti Ossenfort, however, isn’t concerned about the pass rusher’s current status.

“Josh is making good progress. Josh is getting closer every day,” Ossenfort said Monday. “I think Josh is going to be out there in due time to get ready for the season opener, and we’re excited to get him out there and get him going.”

Ossenfort also doesn’t seem too concerned about Sweat’s status with the team, despite offseason rumors that the pass rusher requested a trade with Arizona moving in a new direction at head coach.

 

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“There’s always a lot of talk that goes around that,” Ossenfort said when asked for clarity on whether Sweat requested a trade. “We have no interest in trading Josh.

“We’re excited to have him. Some of those discussions I’m going to keep private but excited to have Josh here. He had a good year last year. Excited for more good things this year.”

That doesn’t sound like “no.”

Ossenfort’s comments fit in line with earlier reporting that Arizona had no interest in moving the premium pass rusher.

Still, until Sweat is back in the mix, and potentially puts the trade talks to bed at least for awhile, his absence is going to continue to be a point of emphasis.

Because if he’s not on the field come Week 1, whether it be due to health or he actually does land elsewhere, Arizona’s defense is going to have a hard time coming close to replicating the impact he has off the edge.

And it’s hard to replace 12 sacks, 13 tackles for loss and 17 QB hits regardless of who is on the roster.

Instead of Sweat leading the charge, it’ll be a group of pass rushers who didn’t have more than two sacks and six tackles for loss individually last year.

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