The New England Patriots are expected to make a major trade for A.J. Brown in the coming weeks, but he is not the only star they should be keeping an eye on.
While many experts believe the Patriots will land the Philadelphia Eagles star, there is a slight chance the Eagles pivot and trade him elsewhere if they get a better offer. That would not mean there are no more players for the Patriots to look at. Former Eagle and current member of the Arizona Cardinals, Josh Sweat, could make sense as a fit.
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox urged the Patriots to trade for him.
“While the Patriots are busy monitoring things with Brown, they should also have an eye on Sweat,” wrote Knox on Monday. “While New England made a stunning push to Super Bowl LX this past season, it didn’t exactly benefit from an elite pass rush. The Patriots’ defense recorded just 34 sacks, 7.5 of which came from K’Lavon Chaisson, who is now with the Washington Commanders. The Patriots are bringing back sack leader Harold Landry III (8.5 sacks), added Dre’Mont Jones in free agency, and used a second-round pick on Gabe Jacas. If they hope to make another Super Bowl run in 2026, though, they’d be wise to round out the rotation with Sweat.”
Sweat led the Cardinals with 12 sacks last season, and reports suggest he is unhappy with his current situation. He signed a four-year, $76 million deal last offseason to play for Jonathan Gannon, who was his defensive coordinator during his lone Pro Bowl season with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Gannon was fired this offseason, so it’s not absurd to think Sweat would want out now. He is a Super Bowl champion, and the Patriots could use his skill set in their pass rush. They had just 35 sacks as a team last season, and Sweat had more than a third of that on his own.