Philadelphia — What began as a routine Week 13 scoreboard check has turned into one of the most uncomfortable narratives of the Eagles’ 2025 season. Former Eagles edge rusher Josh Sweat, whom Philadelphia let walk before signing a $76.4 million deal with the Arizona Cardinals, has now tied his career high in sacks — and he’s doing it while the Eagles’ pass rush quietly collapses. For weeks, frustration had been simmering. After Sunday’s developments, it finally boiled over. As Sweat surged to 11.0 sacks on the season, Eagles fans erupted online, furious at general manager Howie Roseman for letting one of the franchise’s most productive defenders leave during an offseason that was supposed to strengthen the defense, not unravel it.

To make matters worse, Sweat’s dominance is unfolding in the one place that makes the pain sharper: a losing franchise that isn’t even close to playoff contention. Cardinals fans have embraced him. Analysts praise his efficiency. And meanwhile, Philadelphia — a team still very much in the playoff race — finds itself generating pressure through band-aids, midseason signings, and last-minute roster shuffles. Even more damning is the comparison. While the Cardinals sit at 3–9 with nothing but pride to play for, Sweat is thriving as if he’s carrying a contender. Meanwhile, the Eagles’ pass rush — once one of the most feared units in football — has totaled just 24 sacks all season, putting them on pace for their worst output in recent memory.

In Philadelphia, the reaction has not been subtle. Every time Sweat records another sack highlight in Arizona red, the social feeds light up with the same furious refrain: “How did Howie let this guy walk?” The sentiment is understandable. Sweat was not just talented — he was homegrown, ascending, and still entering the prime years of his career. And while there were legitimate cap-related concerns, critics argue the GM miscalculated the long-term value of a proven pass rusher. Instead of extending Sweat or finding a comparable replacement, the Eagles entered the season relying on a rotating edge committee filled with uncertainties and emergency patches. The result has been predictable: no stability, no burst, and no identity off the edge.

Paragraph four — the quote paragraph, per your framework — delivers the emotional heartbeat of the story. Speaking anonymously to a local reporter after the Bears loss, one veteran defensive player didn’t hide how much Sweat’s absence has impacted the locker room.
“Look, man… Josh wasn’t just a pass rusher. He was a tone-setter. Losing him wasn’t just losing sacks — it was losing leadership, energy, and the guy who cracked jokes when everyone was tight. And now, watching him ball out somewhere else? Yeah… it hurts all of us.”
That quote circulated rapidly after publication, feeding the growing sense that this wasn’t just a roster mistake — it was a cultural one.

On the field, Philadelphia’s struggles have come in waves. The emergency signing of Za’Darius Smith briefly raised hopes — until he retired after five games. Brandon Graham’s comeback was inspiring, but at 37, even he has admitted that his role is situational, not foundational. Jaelan Phillips, whom the Eagles acquired in a low-risk trade, has impressed in flashes but remains limited as he continues to recover physically. The trio has combined for only 2.5 sacks, a stark reminder of how crucial Sweat’s lost production has become. The lone bright spot has been young defensive lineman Moro Ojomo, who leads the Eagles with four sacks and has emerged as one of the few defenders trending upward.

What makes this situation even more glaring is how preventable it appears in hindsight. The Eagles did not need Sweat to replicate a 19-sack season or chase records like Chandler Jones. They just needed him to anchor a front that has lost its rhythm, its explosiveness, and its intimidation factor. When Milton Williams left in free agency and Bryce Huff signed elsewhere, most fans assumed Roseman had a contingency plan. Instead, Philadelphia entered 2025 with puzzling gaps at key defensive roles — gaps that are now turning into game-changing liabilities. Every missed tackle, every failed third-down stop, every quarterback who steps comfortably into the pocket reinforces the same uncomfortable truth: Sweat’s absence is not a footnote — it is a headline.

As the Eagles fight through a grueling second half of the season, their playoff hopes remain very much alive, but the margin for error is shrinking fast. With games still ahead against the Commanders, Chargers, and Raiders, the defense will need to find firepower somewhere — anywhere — to avoid further slippage in the standings. Meanwhile, Sweat continues stacking sacks, pressures, and praise in Arizona, widening the comparison with every passing week. If he breaks the Cardinals’ franchise record, the outrage in Philadelphia may go from loud to seismic.

In the end, this is shaping into a cautionary tale for the Eagles: sometimes the biggest offseason mistakes aren’t the signings you do make — they’re the ones you don’t. And as Josh Sweat thrives 2,000 miles away, Howie Roseman’s $76.4 million decision continues to haunt a defense still searching for answers.