A lot of Chicago Bears fans want to see the team upgrade in the pass rush department by any means necessary, and one solution could be trading for an elite pass rusher like Arizona Cardinals edge rusher Josh Sweat.
Sweat, 29, was reportedly unhappy with the Cardinals’ decision to fire former head coach Jonathan Gannon, with many people also believing he wanted more guaranteed money in his contract.
“Don’t know the exact reason for the absence, but I’ve been hearing for a while that Josh Sweat is not particularly happy in AZ,” NFL reporter Kyle Odegard said on May 19th.
NFL insider Jordan Schultz also reported a week later on May 26th that the Cardinals have received trade calls on Sweat. “Sources: The #Cardinals have received trade calls on Pro Bowl DE Josh Sweat. Sweat had 12 sacks last season in his first year with Arizona and had a close relationship with Jonathan Gannon, whom the Cardinals moved on from.”
However, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Cardinals are not trading Sweat.
Bears Receive Final Announcement on Josh Sweat Trade Rumors
Not only does Rapoport shut down the trade rumors with Josh Sweat, he specifically mentions the Green Bay Packers as a team that won’t be able to trade for Sweat, since Gannon is now the defensive coordinator in Green Bay.
“This has gained some steam on social media, so just to provide some clarity: #AZCardinals edge rusher Josh Sweat is not being traded. Not to the #Packers or anywhere. Carry on…” Rapoport tweeted on June 3rd.
Insiders never mentioned the Bears as a team that called to inquire about Sweat’s availability.
Another Star Pass Rusher Potentially Available Via Trade?
Now that Josh Sweat is off the trade market, could another star pass rusher suddenly emerge as a legit trade candidate? ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler believes that could be the case with Pittsburgh Steelers superstar pass rusher T.J. Watt, now that the Steelers extended edge rusher Nick Herbig on a four-year, $100 million deal.
“…Having three large contracts allocated to one position is a tough proposition,” Fowler wrote. “Watt, for all his greatness, turns 32 in October and has guaranteed salaries of $32 million in both 2026 and 2027. Watt is a legacy player, something Pittsburgh values more than most. But some teams could see Pittsburgh at least considering moving on from him.”
A trade for Watt, however, would be a much more complicated situation for the Bears than a trade for Sweat. The Bears would also have three pass rushers on huge contracts (Montez Sweat, Dayo Odeyingbo, and Watt) and don’t have the cap space necessary to take on Watt’s guaranteed salaries of $32 million in both 2026 and 2027.
That doesn’t mean general manager Ryan Poles can’t work some magic and free up cap space with a release of someone like Odeyingbo and another veteran on a large contract. Regardless, that’s something to keep in mind, and if anything, Poles can just sign a free agent like Joey Bosa or Cameron Jordan, who are still productive and won’t cost the team any draft capital.
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