Packers Can Forget It: Why the Cardinals Aren’t Trading Josh Sweat Right Now

Oftentimes, the Arizona Cardinals are viewed as a farm system for the rest of the National Football League.

Such is life when you've historically been one of the league's worst teams and little national spotlight is shed, though Arizona's consistently been an easy target for more successful organizations to try and pluck talent from.

If not legitimate trades, there always seems to be trade buzz around the Cardinals' biggest names. Star Budda Baker is the perfect example of this, as he's been consistently included in trade chatter for years despite nothing actually happening. Trey McBride might just suffer a similar fate if 2026 goes sideways, too.

All of this is to say the Cardinals are an easy target, and this week's joint practice against the Green Bay Packers is practically painting a bullseye on Josh Sweat.

Why Josh Sweat Trade Chatter (Somewhat) Makes Sense

Before we really get into the weeds, we have to first acknowledge that trading Sweat isn't some inconceivable possibility. Not when he reportedly requested a trade earlier in the offseason after Jonathan Gannon was fired, and not when he just took the practice field for the first time in all of 2026 just a couple of days ago.

The Cardinals trading Sweat in 2026 isn't some eye-opening notion. He was clearly unhappy early in the offseason and surely after previously appearing in two Super Bowls with the Philadelphia Eagles, Sweat wants to get back to winning football games.

From that vantage point, especially with a loaded 2027 draft class around the corner, a trade just might be best for both sides.

However, it wouldn't happen early in the regular season. And it sure wouldn't happen in Green Bay this week like many online are suggesting and speculating.

Why Cardinals Will Wait on Josh Sweat Move

The timing of Sweat's arrival off the PUP list drew intrigue earlier this week, as the Cardinals are set to take part in a joint practice with Green Bay ahead of their preseason finale against the Packers on Friday.

Sweat, nursing his left knee, will effectively only have a joint practice against Green Bay before ramping up for the regular season after not participating at all in training camp and preseason.

With Gannon now calling the defensive plays for Green Bay and the Packers' need for another pass rusher next to Micah Parsons ahead of a clearly open Super Bowl window, plenty of dots have been connected to a potential Sweat-to-Green Bay deal.

That was being pushed online since early days of the offseason, so much so that top NFL insider Ian Rapoport took to social media to specifically shut down a Sweat/Packers deal back in June.

Some have suggested the timing of Sweat's activation from PUP — as the team travels to Green Bay — isn't a coincidence.

It's not, but not for the reasons Packers fans want them to be.

The Real Reason Why Cardinals Activated Josh Sweat This Week

The Cardinals have kept Sweat out of camp and essentially in bubble wrap for as long as possible.

Sweat is far and away their top pass rusher after gathering 12 sacks last season. For those keeping score at home, all other Cardinals outside linebackers in Baron Browning, BJ Ojulari, Zaven Collins and Jordan Burch had a combined 5.5 sacks in 2025.

The Cardinals need Sweat healthy to start the season, and with head coach Mike LaFleur's conservative approach to starters playing in preseason, their caution with Sweat and his knee isn't a surprise.

With that in mind, Arizona would have wanted to wait until the very last moments before activating Sweat from the PUP list — which just so happened to be this week against the Packers.

With this being the final few days ahead of roster cuts, Sweat's activation was mandatory if the Cardinals wanted him to play in the opening portion of games. Had Sweat not been off PUP by final roster cuts, he would have been moved to the Reserve/PUP list and missed the first four games of the regular season.

It wouldn't have mattered who the Cardinals played this week — Sweat was being activated with just days to spare ahead of the finish line.

Sweat's participation in practice isn't tied to any conversations he might have with Packers brass in terms of wanting a potential trade. This isn't a "tryout" — not with the Cardinals at least keeping Sweat for at minimum the first half of the season.

Arizona wouldn't trade Sweat early while still looking to be competitive, and if they do, that can all but assure defensive coordinator Nick Rallis will be fired at some point with general manager Monti Ossenfort's departure looming after the season.

And if for whatever reason Sweat does force his way out or the Cardinals want to cash in at the trade deadline, the Packers won't use joint practice tape — they'll use weeks of updated 2026 regular season game film.

A Sweat trade isn't impossible down the road. The Packers would make sense given their Super Bowl window and Gannon's presence.

But there's a big nothingburger being served here — with cheese courtesy of the fine people of Green Bay.

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