The Philadelphia Eagles and defensive end Josh Sweat have agreed to terms on a restructured contract including $10 million guaranteed with a max value of $13 million, a league source confirmed Friday. His prior deal didn’t include any guaranteed money.
Sweat, 26, started 17 games for the Eagles last season, tallying 6.5 sacks, 43 combined tackles and 23 quarterback hits. He was a Pro Bowl selection during 2021-22. Philadelphia selected Sweat in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL Draft out of Florida State.
How Sweat’s signing impacts Eagles’ roster
General manager Howie Roseman’s strategy to organize the defensive line’s perimeter is closer to reaching its conclusion. This all began a month ago when the Eagles made it clear that Sweat and Haason Reddick were both on the trading block. That effectively allowed the Eagles to gauge the market as they weighed how they’d approach two edge rushers who were entering the final years of their contracts.
It’s clear that Reddick, who is entering his age 30 season, is the most likely to be traded. His $21.8 million cap hit is scheduled to be the highest for the Eagles in 2024. If they trade Reddick before June 1, another team could take on Reddick’s contract, and the Eagles would have $1.2 million in cap savings in 2024, according to Over the Cap.
The Eagles, who drafted Nolan Smith No. 30 overall in 2023, added to their surplus at the position by signing former New York Jets edge rusher Bryce Huff to a three-year, $51.1 million deal in free agency. Huff, 25, showed promise in a breakout season last year with 10 sacks and 10 tackles for loss, which the Eagles hope will help preserve the effectiveness of their pass rush while also resetting the clock of their collective age at the position.
Sweat, who turns 27 in two weeks, has demonstrated potential upside since signing a three-year, $40 million contract extension in 2021. He’s recorded 25 sacks and 59 quarterback hits in the last three seasons. His 6-5, 265-pound frame also benefits against the run game, and his skillset is a complement to both Smith (6-2, 238) and Huff (6-3, 255), who’ve seen most of their success as pure pass rushers.
The question now becomes how much the Eagles can receive in exchange for Reddick. The $15 million average contained in his current three-year deal ranks 18th amongst all NFL edge rushers, but he’s outperformed the contract. His 27 combined sacks during the 2022 and 2023 seasons are tied for fourth-most among edge rushers, according to TruMedia. His six forced fumbles in that span are also tied for fourth. His 135 total pressures are ranked 11th. His 24 tackles for loss are ranked 12th.
If the Eagles indeed receive value in a trade for Reddick, in either draft capital or an exchange of players, Roseman is banking on maintaining the effectiveness of Philly’s pass rush while getting younger and receiving assets that can supply future acquisitions. Will the Eagles complete their spring cleaning of the position group by the draft? —Brooks Kubena, Eagles staff writer
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(Photo: Bill Streicher / USA Today)
