Hindsight is always 20/20, but for the Philadelphia Eagles, it’s hitting like a blindside blitz right now. What seemed like a savvy roster move at the time—letting EDGE rusher Josh Sweat walk in free agency—has turned into a full-blown nightmare. Sweat, now terrorizing quarterbacks in an Arizona Cardinals uniform, is making the Eagles’ front office look like they fumbled the ball big time. And if a recent viral X post from Philly superfan AJ Muse is any indication, the numbers are screaming “what were they thinking?”
Let’s break it down: Midway through the 2025 NFL season, Sweat has already racked up a jaw-dropping seven sacks. That’s more than the entire combined output of his former teammates and their replacements on the Eagles’ defensive line. Jalen Carter, Nolan Smith, Zack Baun, Josh Uche, and Jihaad Campbell? They’ve mustered just six sacks between them. Ouch. Sure, Moro Ojomo has been a pleasant surprise for Philly, stepping up with some solid play—but even that’s bittersweet, as it feels more like a band-aid for the gaping hole left by Milton Williams, who bolted to the New England Patriots on a massive $104 million deal.
Sweat isn’t just outperforming; he’s straight-up dominating in ways the Eagles’ current EDGE group can only dream about. The proof is in the pudding—or in this case, the pressure. Philly’s pass rush has gone from fearsome to feeble, forcing the team to dig deep into the veteran bargain bin. They’ve coaxed Za’Darius Smith out of his brief retirement (he hung up the cleats just last month) and even lured back Brandon Graham, the legendary Eagle who called it quits after hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in the 2024 Super Bowl. Desperate times call for desperate measures, right?
Embed X: https://twitter.com/aj_muse_/status/1985809490243891254
But the regrets don’t stop at Sweat. The Eagles also waved goodbye to Bryce Huff, who’s now suiting up for the San Francisco 49ers. Despite battling injuries this year, Huff has still notched four sacks—enough to tie for the team lead if he were still in midnight green. Add it all up, and Philly’s sack total sits at a measly 16 through eight games, putting them on track for just 32 by season’s end. That’s nine fewer than their 2024 haul, and a far cry from the disruptive force that propelled them to glory.
Without Sweat’s explosive edge presence, and with underwhelming production from youngsters like Jalyx Hunt and the newly acquired Josh Uche, the Eagles are pinning their hopes on Graham’s veteran savvy and Nolan Smith, whose practice window just opened after an early-season setback. It’s a patchwork plan for a team that’s otherwise soaring at 6-2, fresh off a bye week and gearing up for a Week 10 showdown against the 5-2-1 Green Bay Packers.
The moral of the story? Letting an alpha dog like Sweat loose might have freed up cap space, but it’s costing them dearly on the field. And with the way he’s heating up in Arizona, this $76 million beast is just getting started. Philly fans, grab your antacids—the what-ifs are only going to get louder.