"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. Brian Gutekunst has not had a single conversation with the Arizona Cardinals about Josh Sweat."
Those were the emphatic words of The Athletic's Matt Schneidman on The Green Bay Beat podcast.
It's disappointing. The rumors had started to swirl again, and there's no denying the seismic impact Sweat could've had on the Green Bay Packers' defense by reuniting with Jonathan Gannon. Especially once Micah Parsons returned.
However, as one door closes (or, based on Schneidman's reporting, was shut all along), another opens. The Packers need answers with the pass rush while they wait on Parsons' return.
Dani Dennis-Sutton has entered the conversation.
The rookie took over the Packers' preseason finale and offered a glimpse into the future. He had missed the opening two exhibition contests but more than made up for lost time against the Arizona Cardinals on Friday night. It's enough reason to pump the brakes on talk of adding pass-rush reinforcements before Week 1.
Why not trading for Josh Sweat could be a blessing in disguise for Packers
Look, you won't find me complaining if the Packers prove Schneidman wrong and make a deal with the Cardinals for Sweat this week. Zero issues with that. He's a former Pro Bowler who has historically played his best football in Gannon's defense, including his career-best 12 sacks last season.
In a win-now year, pairing Sweat with Parsons would be a possible championship combination. We'd take that any day.
That said, there's a counterargument. A different perspective. Focus on Dennis-Sutton's development, and not adding a veteran pass rusher could actually be a blessing.
Trading for Sweat would've relegated Dennis-Sutton further down the depth chart. At best, he'd be the No. 4 edge defender, losing crucial reps and development time.
If you missed his performance in Friday's preseason win, you missed a show. The Penn State product recorded his first Packers sack on the Cardinals' opening possession, and he would continue to bully Arizona's front five throughout the evening.
"Dennis-Sutton was absolutely cooking people. Goodness," wrote Ross Uglem of Packer Report.
He's not wrong. Per Pro Football Focus, the rookie generated five pressures on just 22 pass-rush snaps. He had one sack, one QB hit, and an absurd win rate of 31.8 percent, which ranks fifth among all qualifying edge defenders in the preseason.
Of course, Dennis-Sutton played against a lot of backup linemen, but you'd certainly hope your ascending pass rusher would dominate that matchup. And he did.
DDS has rare athleticism, is already an excellent run defender, and showed off his pass-rush potential in the preseason finale. He gets to learn from Parsons, whom he already has a connection with from his Penn State days, while playing in a Gannon system that has turned pass rushers into stars.
There's a reason why Sweat's best production has come in Gannon's defenses. The same is true of Javon Hargrave. Why can't the same happen with Dennis-Sutton?
Ironically, not trading for Sweat could allow the Packers to develop their next Pro Bowl pass rusher. Okay, okay, maybe let's not get ahead of ourselves here.
But the point stands. Sweat would've been an unbelievable addition to this defense, especially this year. Yet his arrival would've at least partially blocked a pathway to playing time for Dennis-Sutton. It could be a blessing in disguise.
The Packers will need their fourth-round rookie to contribute this season. Give him an opportunity, and any conversation about needing to add another pass rusher could quickly disappear.
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