The One That Got Away Might Be Available Again
Remember last offseason when Adam Schefter dropped that little nugget about the Lions being interested in Josh Sweat? Yeah, that edge rusher who ended up signing a four-year, $76.4 million deal with Arizona instead of coming to Detroit.
Well, plot twist. After just one year in the desert, the Cardinals are apparently fielding trade calls for Sweat. Because of course they are.
According to Jordan Schultz, teams are already sniffing around the Pro Bowl pass rusher who racked up 12 sacks in his first year with Arizona. The timing feels a little too convenient, considering the Cardinals just moved on from Jonathan Gannon, who apparently had a close relationship with Sweat.
Should Brad Holmes Pick Up The Phone?
Look, the money works. Sort of. The Lions could absorb Sweat’s 2026 cap hit of $10.88 million without breaking a sweat. It’s the future years that get messy.
We’re talking about cap hits of $18.1 million each in 2027 and 2028 for a pass rusher who will be 30. That’s real money for real years, and the contract structure doesn’t exactly scream “easy exit strategy” if things go sideways.
The asking price would likely be a day-two pick. A 2027 third-rounder could probably get it done, which the Lions have to give. But here’s the thing that makes this whole conversation feel a little pointless.
Why This Doesn’t Make Sense For Detroit
Brad Holmes just used a second-round pick on Derrick Moore. The player is supposed to be the answer at edge rusher. Trading for Sweat essentially admits that either Holmes whiffed on the Moore pick or doesn’t trust his own evaluation.
Neither feels very Brad Holmes-like.
The Lions have built this roster through the draft and smart free agent additions, not by trading away picks for expensive veterans with questionable long-term value. Sweat is good, but he’s not “mortgage the future” good.
Plus, let’s be honest. The Cardinals signing him to a massive deal and then shopping him after one season doesn’t exactly scream organizational competence. Sometimes the best move is the one you don’t make.
Are you buying into the Josh Sweat rumors or do you trust Holmes to stick with the plan? Drop your take below.
