The Dallas Cowboys and Arizona Cardinals did battle on the field of play on Sunday afternoon, but they could turn into trade partners at any moment. A deal between the two franchises that ends up with Josh Sweat landing in Dallas makes too much sense not to happen.

The Cowboys currently sit in second place in the NFC East, but adding a high-impact edge rusher could give Dallas enough to overtake the Giants to win the division. Jerry Jones is not known for his patience which adds fuel to the idea that the Cowboys will be active in trade talks next week.

Why the Cowboys and Cardinals should both want a Josh Sweat trade

The team's offense led by quarterback Dak Prescott and superstar wide receivers CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens is more than good enough to produce a playoff berth. The challenge in Dallas is finding a way to craft a defense that can at least perform at an average level down the stretch. Getting more consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks might be the easiest way for head coach Brian Shottenheimer and his staff to make that happen.

The Cardinals understand they are still in the midst of a multi-year rebuild. Arizona has been surprisingly frisky this year, but all of their focus needs to be placed on finding a new franchise quarterback in the offseason. That makes flipping a veteran like Sweat for draft capital a wise path forward for the NFC West side.

Sweat is a high-priced 29-year-old who does not fit Arizona's timeline. He also happens to be from the Dallas area which adds to his intrigue of playing for the Cowboys. Everything here lines up for a trade that makes sense for both teams.

Cowboys-Cardinals trade proposal for Josh Sweat

It's worth noting that Sweat has not enjoyed an overly productive start to his 2026 campaign. He has just three sacks on the year, and his PFF grade of just 58.2 heading into the Dallas game illustrates his lack of productivity. Any trade the Cowboys make to acquire him will be based on the concept that his production will increase when being employed by a postseason contender.

Dallas' hopes of completing a deal with the Cardinals are complicated by their lack of available draft capital in the 2027 draft. They only have four picks at their disposal as a result of previous transactions. Their front office will want to hold on to each of those picks to extend their current window of contention.

That's why a 2028 pick is the right answer for both sides. Getting a fifth-rounder is great value for Sweat from Arizona's perspective, but they can only get a pick in that round by waiting an extra year to receive it. It's not an ideal outcome for the Cardinals, but they can afford to take the long view when it comes to their roster rebuild.

There's a cogent argument to be made that Dallas should not be making win-now moves this year, but that sort of conservative ideology does not align with Jones' tenure in charge of the franchise. Overpaying on a veteran like Sweat to help improve their chances of winning this year is right on brand for the Cowboys.