The Jacksonville Jaguars were reportedly interested in acquiring Maxx Crosby from the Las Vegas Raiders before the Baltimore Ravens traded for him. However, the Ravens reneged on the deal, and Crosby returned to Las Vegas.
The Raiders say that they no longer want to trade Crosby. Maybe they're posturing because they haven't gotten an offer they like. But on the off chance that he's not available, the Jags could pivot to another pass rusher who just requested a trade.
The Jaguars need to give the Cardinals a call about Josh Sweat
Easton Butler of Packer Report broke the news that Josh Sweat has requested a trade from the Arizona Cardinals, adding that both the Green Bay Packers and the Philadelphia Eagles have expressed interest.
Just last year, Sweat signed a four-year deal worth $76.4 million with $41 million in guarantees with the Cardinals, so his request doesn't stem from his compensation. Instead, he's unhappy that Arizona fired head coach Jonathan Gannon and replaced him with Mike LaFleur earlier this year.
And precisely because Gannon is now the defensive coordinator for the Packers, Green Bay could be a realistic landing spot for him. Similarly, the Eagles drafted him in 2018, and he spent seven seasons with them before he bolted for the Cardinals last year, so they know what he's capable of. But that shouldn't stop the Jaguars from getting in touch with Arizona to do due diligence.
Sweat was a highly productive player for the Eagles, registering 43 sacks in 104 games with 64 starts. During his lone season in the desert, he racked up 12 more sacks. The Jaguars could most definitely use that kind of production.
Why it would make sense for the Jaguars to tarde for Josh Sweat
Josh Sweat isn't nearly as accomplished as Maxx Crosby, but he's no slouch by any means. In fact, he may be the pass rusher available with Trey Hendrickson signing with the Ravens. In Jacksonville, he would be part of a rotation that includes Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen. Of course, he wouldn't come cheap.
It's hard to tell what kind of compensation the Cardinals would want in return for Sweat. But for the sake of the argument, let's say that they're willing to move him in exchange for a second-round pick. The Jags could easily give their second-rounder this year (the 56th overall), and still get to keep their three picks in Round 3 to address other needs.
Of course, the Jags would also need to pay the remaining balance of his contract, but they could get it down. He has a base salary of $9.78 million in 2026 and $17 million each of the two following years. On top of that, all three years, he has options of $1.8 million. The Jaguars would need to restructure contracts to free up cap space but could most definitely take on his contract.
Aside from defensive tackle, the pass rush is one of the Jaguars' top needs one week into free agency. While the front office may be able to find a bargain, Josh Sweat could offer an immediate fix.