Cardinals coach Mike LaFleur shrugs off Josh Sweat’s minicamp absence

The Arizona Cardinals opened mandatory minicamp Tuesday with a notable sideline presence. Edge rusher Josh Sweat was at the facility, but he did not participate in on-field drills, an arrangement that prompted immediate questions about his offseason routine and whether his lack of practice reps could create any early-season risk.

Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur downplayed the concern. Speaking about why a player who has not been out there being thrown into action would be counterproductive, LaFleur said the offseason program is designed in phases and that it would be inappropriate to put Sweat on the field after missing previous work. He also described Sweat’s behavior as consistent with the way the defensive lineman has handled his offseason training in other stops.

LaFleur’s explanation, carried in reports, emphasized that the team expects players to ramp during Phase One and Phase Two before Phase Three, rather than inserting someone into practice without enough prep. In that framing, Sweat’s absence is less a disciplinary issue and more a planning decision for participation timing, particularly when mandatory minicamp includes practice days that serve as evaluation opportunities for coaches.

The broader context is that Sweat missed all voluntary offseason work this spring, choosing instead to work out on his own. That matters because voluntary OTAs and related team periods are typically where quarterbacks and skill positions, as well as defensive units, refine timing and fundamentals. Sweat’s approach reduces those shared reps for the defense, but LaFleur indicated the player’s routine has been part of the equation for years and that it is producing the kind of readiness the coaching staff can build on later.

Sweat’s status is also tied to his role and expectations on the roster. Last season, he led the Cardinals with a career-high 12 sacks, and he entered this offseason on the strength of a new four-year, $76.4 million contract signed to remain in Arizona and reunite with coach Jonathan Gannon, who previously coached Sweat as a defensive coordinator in Philadelphia. With a producer like that, even a practice absence becomes a storyline, but the team’s public posture is that his work away from the facility is not a problem.

Trade chatter has also circulated around Sweat. Reports cited that the Cardinals have received trade calls, while another recent report indicated they do not plan to trade him, suggesting that his current situation is being treated as a normal part of the team’s offseason management rather than a sign of a wider roster shakeup.

At mandatory minicamp, the Cardinals also had quarterback Jacoby Brissett available after his own spring absence from voluntary work. The team’s official notes indicated both veterans were present in meetings and were evaluated daily, but that it did not make sense to have them practice on the first day after missing much of the prior work. For now, the emphasis in camp is on learning, conditioning, and appropriate ramp-up rather than forcing participation.

What to watch next is whether Sweat takes part as the minicamp days progress and whether his on-field involvement increases during the remaining portion of the offseason program. The team will likely measure both readiness and integration into the defensive workload as Phase Three approaches, which will be the truest test of whether this “no concern” posture matches what happens on the field.