Josh Sweat's anticipated payday has arrived.
The former Philadelphia Eagles edge rusher and Super Bowl LIX champion has agreed to terms with the Arizona Cardinals on a four-year, $76 million deal that includes $41 million in guaranteed money, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Monday.
The new partnership makes plenty of sense.
Sweat was in line to make significant money after playing a key part in Philadelphia's stifling defense on its journey to a dominant Super Bowl triumph in which he had 2.5 sacks and six tackles, but he wasn't going to maximize his earning power by staying with the Eagles. Instead, Sweat will reunite with his former defensive coordinator, Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon, who guided Sweat to his most productive seasons, which included a Pro Bowl appearance in 2021 and a career-high 11 sacks in 2022.
The contract exceeds Sweat's previous high average per-year salary by nearly $6 million per year. It might appear to be high for a player who has only broken double digits in sacks once in seven seasons, but with Myles Garrett resetting the edge market at an astounding $40 million per year and the Cardinals still in roster build-up mode, it's logical. If Sweat is going to prove he's worth such compensation anywhere in the NFL, it's by playing for Gannon in Arizona.
The Cardinals defense overachieved for most of 2024 with a cast of players that lacked brand recognition outside of the likes of Budda Baker. Adding Sweat is a good first step toward improving the unit.