Nail in the Coffin for Josh Sweat Trade Rumors: Insider Shuts Down Cardinals-Packers Rumors

ARIZONA — The Arizona Cardinals don't appear to be intent on, or likely, to trade star edge rusher Josh Sweat to the Green Bay Packers.

That's been a fairly consistent drumbeat by those in the local market and the league's top insiders — even as buzz has swarmed Sweat and the Cardinals in recent days — though we've yet to hear anybody from Green Bay shoot down a potential deal.

Until now.

On The Green Bay Beat podcast, The Athletic's Matt Schneidman deflected any Sweat trade rumors spread within the last few days.

"This is the last time this podcast, this show is going to address this. Based on what I heard earlier this week, I can confidently say that Josh Sweat is not going to be a Packer. Not now, not ever," he said.

"Brian Gutekunst has not had a single conversation with the Arizona Cardinals about Josh Sweat. And I can say that confidently based on what I've been told."

From this morning’s Green Bay Beat episode, what Bill and I know about the Josh Sweat “situation.” pic.twitter.com/QckBKnFHXf
— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) August 29, 2026

Packers On SI's Bill Huber chimed in with, "There was something out there about how the Cardinals brought some people up to Green Bay early. I was told by somebody from Arizona that was not the case. They all came at the same time and with the same group of guys who always come. That's the perspective I got out of Arizona, for what that's worth."

Names such as Ian Rapoport, Adam Schefter and locally John Gambadoro have shot down Sweat-to-Green Bay reports at various points this summer.

Sweat's entering the second of a four-year, $76.4 million contract. After garnering 12 sacks last season, Sweat established himself as Arizona's top front seven player and one of the better sack artists in the league.

However, things seemingly turned south when the Cardinals fired Jonathan Gannon after the 2025 season. Gannon, formerly his defensive coordinator with the Philadelphia Eagles, oversaw his best two statistical seasons and was one of the primary reasons Sweat came to Arizona.

Sweat reportedly requested a trade, with buzz dying down early in the offseason before growing louder again this summer. Sweat was activated off the PUP list after managing a knee injury for all of training camp.

The Packers — who now employ Gannon as their defensive coordinator — make sense as a potential landing spot. They've got a need for another pass rusher, cap space to take on Sweat's deal and are in the midst of a clearly open Super Bowl window with Sweat's coveted play-caller in town.

However, the Cardinals would be fools to trade Sweat at this point in the season, as preseason play has wrapped up and Arizona would enter the regular season with a massively diminished pass rush if Sweat departed.

That doesn't preclude a trade in the future, though for now, all bets appear to be off on a deal for Sweat.

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