Josh

Sweat

The Eagles were taking calls from teams regarding a trade from Sweat last week, but the veteran end is now set to remain with the team for 2024 after restructuring his deal. Sweat totaled 43 tackles and 6.5 sacks for the Eagles last season and one year removed from an 11 sack season in 2022. With a new defensive staff now in place, Sweat could wind up seeing even more playing time next season after playing on a career-high 828 defensive snaps last season.

Sweat will be 27 at the start of next season and is coming off a year in which he totaled 43 tackles, seven TFLs, and 6.5 sacks. The veteran pass rusher has amassed 35 sacks over his six-year career but could be on the move with a new defensive staff set to take over. Sweat has one more year left on his current contract and could be in line for a lucrative contract with a strong 2024.

He’s reportedly trending in the right direction after leaving Week 17’s game against the Saints with a scary neck injury that required him to be backboarded and sent him to the hospital. Philadelphia has the bye, so the Eagles will have an additional week to rest Sweat and make sure he’s ready.

Sweat was carted off in a backboard after going down in the first quarter. He was sent to hospital as a precautionary measure, and was said to have movement in all his extremities. Sweat is to be released later tonight. We’re guessing he probably won’t play in Week 18.

Sweat, who was listed with an illness on the injury report, underwent surgery for a “life-threatening” situation this week. It’s a downgrade to the Eagles’ pass rush after Sweat posted 45 tackles, 7.5 sacks, and a forced fumble in 13 starts this season. Ryan Kerrigan and Tarron Jackson will pick up Sweat’s snaps. The rest of the Eagles inactives are QB Reid Sinnett, RB Jason Huntley, OL Nate Herbig, CB Tay Gowan, DB Andre Chachere, and DB Kary Vincent.

Sweat, who was in the final year of his rookie contract, gets $26.9 million guaranteed, a $10 million signing bonus, and $2 million in incentives. It’s a massive deal for a sub-package rusher with three starts and 10 career sacks. Sweat has never played more than 40 percent of defensive snaps in any season. The contract is the second major extension from GM Howie Roseman after locking up LT Jordan Mailata last week. Sweat, a 2018 fourth-round pick, is now signed with the Eagles through his age-27 season.

The No. 130 overall pick of the draft, Sweat had played just 68 snaps on defense. He will turn 22 in March.

Sweat (6’5/251) started all three years for the Seminoles, logging 24 career tackles for loss with 12 sacks. Although Sweat’s production doesn’t jump off the page, his 96th-percentile SPARQ athleticism, length (34 5/8-inch arms), and explosive game tape give him upside as a H/W/S prospect. Most concerning is Sweat’s history of knee injuries, which involve his ACL, MCL, and PCL and have plagued him since high school. He could practice only one day per week in college. Ultimately, Sweat could be a multi-year impact edge player if healthy, or quickly dud. The Super Bowl champs can afford to take on this risk in the fourth round.