Acquiring a Pro Bowl pass-rusher is always going to cost something, but the Green Bay Packers could still get a bargain by trading for Josh Sweat.
Even without a first-round pick, the Packers have the draft capital to make a competitive offer. That's only part of the story, though. The other consideration is the salary cap impact, as Green Bay would take on Sweat's contract. That part is surprisingly affordable.
According to Spotrac, a team trading for Sweat would take on cap hits of $10.88 million, $18.1 million, and $18.1 million over the next three seasons.
That's... reasonable.
Josh Sweat's upcoming cap hits give Packers even more reason to make a trade
The biggest takeaway there is the 2026 cap hit of just $10.88 million. That's a bargain for a former Pro Bowl pass-rusher who just posted a career-best 12 sacks. In Jonathan Gannon's system, by the way, who is now the Packers' defensive coordinator.
Sweat's cap hits rise to $18.1 million over the final two years of his contract, but that's still manageable. The Packers would also have plenty of levers to pull if they needed to lower those figures, either through restructuring the contract or handing him an extension. But they may not even need to.
For perspective, his $10.88 million cap hit this year would only be the Packers' seventh highest. Even when that number almost doubles in 2027, it would rank fifth, but still a long way off Xavier McKinney's $24.8 million, Aaron Banks' $25.45 million, and Micah Parsons' $26.85 million.
Again, Sweat's deal isn't nothing, but it's perfectly reasonable for a Pro Bowler who could make a significant impact in the Packers' defense.
Will it happen? Only time will tell, but a trade for Sweat at least feels realistic now.
Earlier this week, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported that teams have called the Arizona Cardinals about a potential deal. Schultz also mentioned Sweat's "close relationship" with Gannon in Arizona, which was an interesting note to include in the post. (Maybe we're reading too much into that final part, but it caught our attention).
Sweat could transform the Packers' pass rush, giving them another veteran capable of hitting double-digit sacks, especially when operating in Gannon's system. Sweat has 30.5 sacks in 49 career games when playing under Gannon.
Last season, the Packers' pass rush became Micah Parsons or nothing. Sweat would change the calculus. Once Parsons returns, Sweat could dominate in one-on-one matchups.
That's the sales pitch to Brian Gutekunst. Make it happen. Negotiating a draft-pick package is one thing, but the Packers don't need to have any concerns about the contract they'd inherit.
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