7 years of hard work have finally paid off in the form of a Super Bowl ring for LB Josh Sweat. The 4th round (130th overall) pick of the 2018 NFL Draft had a slow start to his career, starting only 3 games (played 39 games though) in his first 3 years. It wasn’t until 2021 when Nick Sirianni arrived there that he took off. The HC trusted the linebacker and started him in 13 games in the 2021 season. It was the start of his legendary defensive prowess at the Birds. In the Super Bowl LIX against the Chiefs, he had 2.5 sacks with 6 tackles (2 solo).

But the path ahead is tough. The Eagles want to make space for more players. While their GM Howie Roseman has vast experience handling player contracts, he might not be able to stop the linebacker from departing in free agency. The rumors are strong that he might be on his path to another franchise. If that happens, the shoes will be hard to fill. It would definitely affect the Eagles’ top-ranked 2024 defense.

In 7 seasons, Josh Sweat has turned into an explosive player. The 27-year-old player earned his only Pro Bowl finish in 2021. In his 104 games (64 starting), he has 1 interception, 11 defended passes, 7 fumble recoveries, 43 sacks, 237 tackles (148 solo), and 97 QB hits. An excellent finisher, PFF reported that he only missed 1 tackle in the 2024 season. The contract predictions are also getting huge.

A few days ago, he was speculated to rake in a deal in the range of $82 million. Spotrac predicted a lower 3-year $56 million contract. But Josh Sweat is eyeing legacy. He revealed that he wanted to get the perfect environment to succeed instead of just money. There’s another issue. While playing in college, he suffered a knee injury that dislocated his knee and resulted in an ACL injury.

Whatever the issues may be, many teams need a good linebacker. And many are already making their plans for the Super Bowl winner.

Chicago Bears might grab Josh Sweat

After hiring Lions OC Ben Johnson as their head coach, the Bears are in a major rebuild mode. GM Ryan Poles is in constant talks with the DC Dennis Allen. They want to strengthen their defense. And if the Eagles player joins them, it would be a major boost.

Poles revealed his stance on signing new players and said, “You want to be selective in free agency. But if there are certain players that kind of hit all the checked boxes that you need, there’s really no reason to hold back. I feel like you can be aggressive in those situations.” It means they can make space for Josh Sweat.

The Bears have already released the veteran defensive end DeMarcus Walker to free up $5.25 million in cap space. But they need someone to pair up with the DE Montez Sweat, who signed a 4-year $98 million deal in 2023. In 2024, he played 16 games, recording 5.5 sacks and 32 tackles (18 solo). So that’s a major push. But other teams are also in the race.

Not only Josh Sweat, the Patriots are interested in DT Milton Williams. Raiders are also expected to give a $18.8 million offer to the LB. There could be more blows to Nick Sirianni’s squad than he anticipated.