Breaking: The Arizona Cardinals are signing Josh Sweat.

In one of the most impactful moves of the 2025 NFL offseason, the Arizona Cardinals have officially signed edge rusher Josh Sweat to a four-year, $76.4 million contract with $41 million guaranteed. The deal not only represents a significant financial commitment from the Cardinals’ front office, but also signals a shift in how the team plans to build its defense under head coach Jonathan Gannon.

This is more than just another free-agent acquisition—it’s a reunion of a Pro Bowl-caliber defensive end with the coach who helped unlock his potential in Philadelphia. Let’s dive into the implications, benefits, challenges, and long-term outlook of this major signing for both Sweat and the Cardinals.

Josh Sweat’s four-year deal includes strategic structuring that reflects both faith in his ability and fiscal prudence. The Cardinals have front-loaded and tiered the deal to create flexibility:

2025 cap hit: $7.24 million
2026 cap hit: $16.3 million
2027 & 2028 cap hits: $23.6 million
Void year in 2029: $5.5 million cap charge

This structure allows Arizona to evaluate Sweat’s production over the first two seasons before making any long-term decisions. With a potential out after two years, the team mitigates risk in the event of injury or performance decline. For a player with Sweat’s injury history early in his career, such terms make sense for both parties.

The Cardinals entered the 2025 offseason with a clear mandate: bolster a defense that ranked bottom-10 in pressure rate and total sacks in 2024. With Gannon’s background as a defensive coordinator and Arizona’s desperate need for edge production, the Josh Sweat signing feels less like a gamble and more like a perfect match.

At 27 years old, Sweat is in the prime of his career. Last season, he recorded:

8 sacks
15 QB hits
41 total tackles
2 forced fumbles
2.5 sacks in Super Bowl LIX

His playoff performance—especially in Super Bowl LIX, where he terrorized Patrick Mahomes—only increased his market value. That same level of explosiveness is exactly what the Cardinals need to transform their front seven.

Perhaps the most underappreciated element of this signing is the relationship between Sweat and Gannon. During Gannon’s stint as the Eagles’ defensive coordinator (2021–2022), Sweat blossomed into a consistent playmaker. Under Gannon’s system, which emphasizes wide-9 alignments and edge setting, Sweat thrived thanks to his length, burst, and instincts.

Reuniting the two creates continuity in scheme and technique. Sweat won’t have to learn a new system or adjust his playstyle dramatically. That gives him a leg up entering OTAs and training camp, and allows Gannon to reintroduce wrinkles that worked in Philadelphia—now wearing Cardinals red.

Sweat’s addition immediately changes the makeup of Arizona’s pass rush. In 2024, the Cardinals leaned on young, developmental players like BJ Ojulari and Myjai Sanders. While promising, neither consistently pressured quarterbacks. Sweat offers a proven alternative and elevates the ceiling of the defensive front.

Expect Arizona to rotate Sweat alongside Ojulari and Zaven Collins in certain sub-packages. His presence should also benefit defensive tackle Dante Stills, who flashed upside last year but lacked help collapsing the pocket from the outside.

Possible Defensive Front in 2025:

DE: Josh Sweat
DT: Dante Stills
NT: Leki Fotu
OLB: BJ Ojulari
OLB: Zaven Collins

This is a significant upgrade in both experience and talent. And if Arizona addresses the interior line further in the NFL Draft or free agency, Sweat could feast on one-on-one matchups all season.

In Philadelphia, Sweat wasn’t just a game-changer—he was a locker room leader. While not always vocal, he led by example with a relentless work ethic and unselfish mentality. On a relatively young Cardinals defense, Sweat provides veteran stability.

Multiple teammates, including All-Pro safety Budda Baker, publicly praised the signing. “That’s the kind of guy we need,” Baker posted on social media shortly after the news broke. Quarterback Kyler Murray also shared a GIF of a fist pump, hinting at his approval from the offensive side of the locker room.

These gestures may seem minor, but they speak to the importance of cultural alignment. Sweat, who overcame serious injury concerns early in his college career at Florida State, embodies grit and resilience—values that resonate within Arizona’s young core.

Make no mistake: this signing sends a message. The Cardinals, long viewed as being in a multi-year rebuild, are accelerating their competitive timeline. The addition of Sweat signals they believe in their foundational pieces—namely Kyler Murray, Trey McBride, and Marvin Harrison Jr.—and are ready to compete in a tough NFC West.

Sweat gives Arizona a weapon to throw at the likes of:

Matthew Stafford and the Rams’ explosive offense
Brock Purdy and San Francisco’s elite offensive line
Geno Smith and Seattle’s deep passing attack

Arizona finished last in the NFC West in 2024 with a 5–12 record, but with Sweat on board and a full season of health from Murray, they could be a sneaky dark horse for a Wild Card spot.

According to Pro Football Focus, Sweat ranked:

15th in pass rush win rate (Edge)
Top 10 in pressure-to-sack conversion rate
3rd among edge rushers in average get-off time (0.71 seconds)

Those metrics are not just good—they’re elite. Sweat is often overshadowed by bigger-name pass rushers, but his efficiency is among the best in the league. He doesn’t need 60 snaps a game to make an impact. In fact, he’s often at his best in rotational duty—keeping his legs fresh and maximizing burst.

No free-agent signing comes without concerns. Sweat’s medical history has always been part of the conversation. Dating back to college, he’s dealt with significant knee and upper-body injuries. Though he’s been relatively durable the last three seasons, the physical nature of his position leaves little margin for error.

Arizona has done its homework, but the high guaranteed number ($41 million) suggests they’re betting big that Sweat’s recent clean bill of health holds. If it doesn’t, the Cardinals could face cap complications in 2026 or 2027, especially if they continue adding veterans in future offseasons.

NFL insiders and analysts responded quickly to the news. CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones called the deal “a calculated but smart risk” and said Sweat “brings Pro Bowl-level talent at a position where Arizona has sorely lacked production.” ESPN’s Mina Kimes noted that “Jonathan Gannon knows exactly what he’s getting. There’s no guessing involved here. That makes this a rare high-floor free-agent pickup.”

Much of Sweat’s future in Arizona will depend on how he performs in 2025 and 2026. If he remains healthy and productive, his deal—currently top-10 in annual edge rusher salary—will look like a bargain compared to what the market may offer next offseason.

If he falters, however, Arizona will face pressure to exit the deal after Year 2 and retool their pass rush again. That makes Sweat both a foundational pillar and a litmus test for this new era of Cardinals football under GM Monti Ossenfort and head coach Jonathan Gannon.

The Josh Sweat signing might not command the same headlines as blockbuster quarterback trades or top-five draft picks, but its impact could be just as meaningful. In one stroke, the Cardinals have:

Improved their pass rush
Reunited a player-coach duo with proven chemistry
Sent a message of intent to the rest of the NFL

Sweat brings grit, power, speed, and professionalism to a team that’s trying to shake off years of mediocrity. And in doing so, he gives Arizona something it hasn’t had in a long time—a difference-maker in the trenches with the ability to swing games.

The 2025 season can’t come soon enough in the desert.