What Super Bowl Hero Brings to Cardinals

Here's what the Cardinals' newest pass rush addition can do for a rising defense.

Feb 9, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Josh Sweat (19) reacts after getting a sack on Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) during the third quarter in Super Bowl LIX at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Arizona Cardinals signed former Philadelphia Eagles star pass rusher Josh Sweat to a four-year, $76.4 million deal on Monday, adding a desperately-needed boost to their pass rush group.

It's the first four-year deal handed out to an external free agent in a decade for the Cardinals, and comes at the perfect time, as Arizona just narrowly missed out on Sweat's teammate Milton Williams.

But make no mistake, Sweat is absolutely an impact player. He might not be the caliber of a Myles Garrett or Maxx Crosby, but he put out a very solid showing in 2024, and even had an argument to be named Super Bowl MVP, with 2.5 sacks of Patrick Mahomes.

Sweat was given a 75.1 overall grade by PFF, and while he. only recorded eight sacks, he's just two years removed from double digits, with 11 in the 2022 season. His defensive coordinator that year? Current Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon.

Sweat is fast enough to bring added explosiveness off the edge, and graded out as an above-average run defender as well as an upper-end pass rusher.

He created 54 QB pressures on just 408 pass rush snaps. That's a 13.2% pressure rate on pass rush downs. For context, Trey Hendrickson and his 17.5 sacks recorded a 16.1% pressure rate across pass rush downs, while Zaven Collins (Arizona's 2024 leader in sacks with five) came in at 10.7%, and Baron Browning at 11.6%.

That difference might seem small, but it's not. With complementary pieces like Collins and Browning already in place, and a return to the scheme Sweat excelled the most in, it could be a big year for the 27-year-old.

The Cardinals do still need to find a solution to their interior DL, and another high-end edge rusher would help round out the defensive front, but Sweat is a good start to a Cardinals offseason that's hopefully just beginning.