The duo of Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker gives the Jaguars one of the top pass-rush tandems in the NFL. That said, they're missing a No. 3 behind them. Surprisingly, though, the team's brass didn't make the pass rush a priority in the 2026 NFL Draft. Sure, the Jags took Wesley Williams and Zach Durfee in Rounds 4 and 7, but it may take both of them a while before they can make an impact.
Sophomore Danny Striggow is also in the mix and is expected to make strides. However, it would make sense for Jacksonville to add reinforcements in case he fails to make a leap next season. That's where Josh Sweat comes in.
Sweat has been a productive pass rusher throughout his NFL career, racking up 55 sacks the past eight years. Last season, he logged a career-best 12 sacks with the Arizona Cardinals, but it looks like he isn't thrilled that the Cards ousted head coach Jonathan Gannon after 2025. That's led the former Florida State Seminole to skip Organized Team Activities and become the subject of trade chatter. This begs the question: What would it take for the Jaguars to land him?
What would the Jaguars have to fork out to acquire Josh Sweat
Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report came up with a list of seven trade destinations for Josh Sweat. He didn't include the Jags, but he believes the veteran pass rusher has a trade value of a fourth-round selection that could become a third based on production.
The Jaguars will tentatively acquire a compensatory fourth-rounder after letting linebacker Devin Lloyd walk in free agency. They certainly have the ammo to acquire Sweat if they want to. On the other hand, they would need to absorb the remainder of the four-year, $76.4 million deal he signed with Arizona in 2025.
The good news is that the Cardinals already paid him most of his guarantees, and Sweat has manageable cat hits the next three seasons. He has a base salary of $9.7 million in 2026 and $17 million in each of the next two years. Jacksonville could most definitely fit him in its budget.
Grade the trade pitch: The Jaguars send a 4th-round pick to the Cardinals in return for Josh Sweat
All things considered, this would be a good deal. The Jaguars would at last get a No. 3 pass rusher who can make an impact, and wouldn't have to break the bank. Heck, they will gladly fork out the conditional third if he is as dominant as he was in the dessert in 2025.
Granted, Jacksonville could also sign Jadeveon Clowney and Cameron Jordan. Bringing in either one wouldn't require giving a draft pick. Then again, Sweat is younger than both of them.
The only potential drawback is that trading for Sweat would stall the development of Danny Striggow, Zach Durfee, and Wesley Williams. Then again, he would give them a proven pass rusher who can contribute right away.
When you factor in Josh Sweat's trade value and salary for the next three years, trading for him is an intriguing idea. The Jaguars could bring him in, and if it doesn't work out, they could easily cut ties with him next year without meaningful cap repercussions. Simply put, this would be a deal worth pursuing.
Grade: B
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