The Dallas Cowboys have a clear need for edge rush help, and the market may be aligning perfectly before the November 10 NFL trade deadline.
Arizona Cardinals edge rusher Josh Sweat has emerged as a top target for Dallas. And multiple NFL insiders, including Adam Schefter, have connected the two sides in recent days. The timing could not be better for the Cowboys, who host the Cardinals this weekend and will get an up close look at the Pro Bowl pass rusher.
Sweat, 29, is in the second year of a four year, $76.4 million contract he signed with Arizona in March 2025. He posted a career high 12 sacks last season, but has just two sacks through seven games in 2026. That statistical gap has fueled speculation that Arizona may be willing to move him for the right price.
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ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported this week that there is genuine interest in Sweat and named Dallas as a team to watch. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Schefter previously reported that Arizona “could be willing to listen to meaningful offers” for Sweat, with the Cowboys cited as a potential landing spot. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler placed the odds of a Sweat trade at around 40 percent and noted that one source considers Dallas a good fit.
The Cowboys’ need is undeniable. After trading Micah Parsons to Green Bay in August last year, Dallas has struggled to generate pressure off the edge. The team has just five sacks through seven games, the third fewest in the NFL, and the edge group has been particularly quiet. Rashan Gary leads the team with 25 pressures but has only one sack, while veteran Von Miller has yet to record a sack.
Jerry Jones’ Trade Deadline Comments Put Cowboys’ Josh Sweat Pursuit in Focus
Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones has been open about his willingness to improve the roster. “If we could do it where we sit right now, I would add to it,” Jones said on 105.3 The Fan. Jones later added a message to the rest of the league when he said he “could see being active at the trade deadline if it was something that could help the team this year”.
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Why Josh Sweat Could Be the Missing Piece in Dallas’ Post-Micah Parsons Defense
A deal for Sweat would give Dallas a proven edge presence for a potential NFC East push. The Cowboys are 3-4 but remain in the division race, and the front office has the cap flexibility to absorb Sweat’s contract. Arizona reportedly wants a second round pick in return, and Dallas owns its own second rounder plus a first round pick from Green Bay in 2027.
The Cowboys have also explored other options. They engaged in trade talks for defensive players including Trey Hendrickson and Bradley Chubb, and the team has been focused on adding pass rushers and linebackers ahead of the deadline.
But Sweat’s ties to defensive coordinator Christian Parker, who coached him in Philadelphia, make him an especially natural fit.
With the deadline fast approaching, the Cowboys are in the best position of any suitor. Chicago already landed Jeffery Simmons, and San Francisco faces division rival hurdles in any Arizona deal. If Dallas is ready to make a win now, Sweat could be the piece that transforms a struggling pass rush into a strength.
The clock is ticking toward November 10. For a Cowboys team with playoff hopes still intact, the next few days could define their season.
