The Philadelphia Eagles’ decision to invest heavily in edge rusher Bryce Huff before the 2024 season backfired, potentially paving the way for their top pass rusher to join a rising NFC East rival.
According to ESPN, Super Bowl standout and free agent edge rusher Josh Sweat is projected to sign a 3-year, $60 million contract with the Washington Commanders, including $40 million guaranteed.
“Washington requires a defensive end skilled in both pass rushing and stopping the run,” ESPN noted. “Sweat, fresh off a Super Bowl appearance, gets a chance to return to the big stage with what the Commanders are building.”
Sweat could become the latest key defender to depart from the Eagles’ top-ranked defense following their 40-22 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX. In that game, Sweat made a strong MVP case with six tackles, 2.5 sacks, two tackles for loss, and three quarterback hits.
Recently, the Eagles released former All-Pro cornerbacks Darius Slay and James Bradberry while signing All-Pro linebacker Zack Baun to a 3-year, $51 million contract.
Sweat’s Rising Market Value
Sweat’s Super Bowl performance boosted his projected contract from $45 million to $56.4 million over three years, according to Spotrac. The Eagles had previously signed Huff from the New York Jets on a 3-year, $51 million deal while offering Sweat just a one-year, $10 million contract.
Next Gen Stats highlighted Sweat’s impressive Super Bowl effort, noting his six pressures on 34 pass rushes, including 2.5 sacks — four of those pressures came on early downs.
While Huff struggled with only 2.5 sacks in 12 games during the 2024 season, Sweat led the Eagles with 8.0 sacks and has recorded 25.5 sacks over the past three seasons.
Pro Football Network ranks Sweat as the No. 3 free agent available in 2025. With the Eagles projected to have just $18.9 million in salary cap space next season, they may be unable to retain him.
“The limited number of elite pass rushers available makes Sweat a prime target in free agency,” PFN noted. “His impressive 16.8% tackle rate solidifies him as a well-rounded defensive asset, even if he’s not quite at the level of T.J. Watt or Micah Parsons.”
Eagles’ Potential Draft Solution
If Sweat leaves, the Eagles could address the gap by selecting an edge rusher in the 2025 NFL Draft. In the previous draft, they selected Toledo cornerback Quinyon Mitchell in the first round, who emerged as a top-tier rookie defender.
NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks predicts the Eagles may select University of Tennessee edge rusher James Pearce with the 32nd overall pick in the 2025 draft.
