The Baltimore Ravens may have signed Justin Madubuike to a long-term contract that pays him $98 million, but that doesn't mean it's pencils down time for their offseason plans. Even outside of Madubuike, the Ravens' defensive line picture is far from complete.
Jadeveon Clowney, Kyle Van Noy, and Brent Urban are all free agents, meaning that Baltimore must need to allocate some of its vailable resources to getting more talent around former first-round pick Odafe Oweh. If that allocation comes via trade, the Philadelphia Eagles may have dropped a perfect candidate into their laps.
The Philadelphia Eagles have made calls offering up defensive end Josh Sweat, who has become a regular starter after overtaking Brandon Graham on the depth chart, in trade talks. Philly is gunning for a championship once again, and they might need to clear Sweat's salary to open up a spot for another big-name pass rusher.
Sweat can make a tangible impact on the Ravens defense without breaking the bank or hurting their run defense. If he could be had for a few Day 3 picks due to his status as a free agent after this season, Sweat should be at the top of Baltimore's list.
The #Eagles are having trade calls on DE Josh Sweat, sources tell me and @RapSheet.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 9, 2024
Sweat has 35 career sacks and is still only 26 years old. Philly is starting over with a new defensive staff and Sweat could be on the move. pic.twitter.com/81I3k7RSeQ
Baltimore Ravens trade rumors: Eagles DE Josh Sweat wll boost defensive line
A former five-star recruit at Florida State who slipped to the end of the fourth round in 2018 due to injury concerns, Sweat has become a first-rate pass rusher in the NFL. A true two-way defensive end who made his name as a fine run defender, Sweat's evolving pass rush game is still extremely effective.
Between 2021 and 2022, Sweat was named to his first Pro Bowl while piling up 18.5 sacks for a loaded Eagles defense. While he regressed after Jonathan Gannon left and only amassed 6.5 sacks, this dip can be excused by pointing out how so many Eagles regressed under Sean Desai and Matt Patricia.
The Ravens have an extra fourth-round compensatory pick after Ben Powers signed with the Broncos, and Baltimore could be willing to move a mid-round pick they were originally going to use on a defensive end to acquire Sweat. He only has one year left on his deal, which could help drive his price down.
Sweat may not have been an All-Pro player last year, but his impact on the Eagles' defense during their peak seasons was clear and obvious. While Philly might want to promote Nolan Smith to a starting role, Baltimore could be all over Sweat, with or without Jadeveon Clowney.