Cardinals activate Josh Sweat from PUP, move Trey Benson off the roster

The Arizona Cardinals activated linebacker Josh Sweat from the physically unable to perform list, returning him to practice as the team works through its preseason roster decisions. The activation comes after Sweat’s knee issue kept him sidelined earlier in camp, and it marks a clear step back toward a full role in the Cardinals’ defensive plans.

Arizona also made a corresponding roster move on Tuesday by waiving running back Trey Benson. The decision continues a pattern teams often use when a player’s availability and role within the depth chart are still uncertain or when other options emerge during camp. In this case, the Cardinals’ backfield picture shifts away from Benson as they recalibrate at the running back position.

Sweat’s storyline matters beyond this specific weekend because he was the team’s sack leader last season. A pass rusher who has already produced in Arizona’s system changes how opponents must defend, even before the regular season begins. His return to the practice field gives the coaching staff another look at how quickly he can regain full tempo and how effectively he can stress the edge on both rush downs and mixed coverage packages.

From a roster-management perspective, activation from PUP is one of the most consequential procedural steps a team can make during training camp. Once a player is moved from the list, the player is eligible to practice, which typically shortens the window for the team to evaluate readiness and conditioning. It also affects how other players are used, because reps can be redistributed when a key contributor returns to live work.

The Cardinals’ decision to waive Benson adds another layer to their camp competition. Running back jobs at the NFL level often come down to three factors: durability through contact, ability to run inside and outside at a consistent pace, and pass-game utility. When a player misses time with a knee issue, teams usually have to decide whether the missed reps can be caught up in time to trust the player in game situations.

While the team did not provide additional context in the announcement beyond Sweat’s return and Benson’s waiver, the timing suggests the Cardinals are trying to sharpen their evaluation picture before roster cutdowns. With camp progressing, every activation and waiver compresses the timeline for remaining players to prove they can carry a role. For Sweat, the next question is how his workload is managed and whether he can replicate his impact from last season immediately. For Benson, the next step is whether another team claims him or whether he finds a new path through waiver clearance.

The immediate watch items are practical: how much Sweat is used in practice and in which defensive situations he gets reps, and how Arizona’s running back rotation looks without Benson in the mix. Both moves will likely influence team-building priorities as the Cardinals move from camp evaluation toward regular-season readiness.