Just as the Josh Sweat to Green Bay trade buzz reached a boiling point last week, Ian Rapoport threw a bucket of cold water on Packers fans' dreams.
Any remaining remnants of hope have now likely gone, too. Rapoport made it clear that Sweat was "not being traded," which meant the only real hope was if the Pro Bowl pass-rusher did more to force an exit. Having skipped voluntary OTAs, the question became whether Sweat would attend mandatory minicamp.
And the answer is yes. Per Rapoport, Sweat is in Arizona for the start of minicamp, which seemingly closes the book on any fading glimmers of hope of a potential trade to Green Bay.
Josh Sweat to Packers trade dreams are now seemingly over for good
Never say never, but the recent updates from Rapoport say it all. Not only are the Cardinals not planning to trade Sweat, but his attendance at minicamp suggests he isn't planning to hold out beyond the voluntary workouts. We can likely assume that means he'll show up for training camp, too.
It raises questions about the Packers' pass rush.
General manager Brian Gutekunst found reinforcements via free agency and the draft, adding edge-rusher Dani Dennis-Sutton and interior linemen Javon Hargrave and Chris McClellan. They should all bolster the front seven's pressure rate from their respective positions. The question is whether the Packers have done enough.
Micah Parsons will miss the start of the regular season, and we may not see him back out there until October. It means the Packers could miss their star pass-rusher for games against the Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears, and Dallas Cowboys.
They will have to rely heavily on Lukas Van Ness. And Barryn Sorrell. And Brenton Cox Jr. Again, have they done enough?
Sweat would've solved a major problem during Parsons' absence, while giving the Packers a terrifying 1-2 punch once their all-world pass-rusher returns.
For a few days, a trade for Sweat seemed on the cards. Rapoport slammed the door shut on that with his frustrating update last week, and now we can all but forget about it with Sweat returning for workouts.
With limited options in free agency, the Packers may have to roll with the group they currently have, which particularly cranks up the pressure on Van Ness to finally reach his first-round expectations.
Sweat to Green Bay had become unlikely. Now, a trade seems impossible.
Add us as a preferred source on Google