Sweat Is Back. One Position Stabilized, Many Still Are Not.

Josh Sweat was activated off the physically unable to perform list on August 24, ending his recovery from a knee injury and giving Arizona its starting defensive end back before Week 1. That matters. The drop from Sweat to backup Jonah Williams at the position was steep enough that losing Sweat for any significant stretch would have been a genuine problem, not just a depth inconvenience.

So the Cardinals get that one back. The rest of the ledger is harder to read. Chase Bisontis is on injured reserve with a torn MCL. Jeremiyah Love remains questionable with a high-ankle sprain. Carson Beck's rib injury kept him out of the second preseason game and his status hasn't fully cleared. Trey Benson was waived. Travis Vokolek retired. The offensive line, the backfield, the quarterback depth — each one is carrying a wound of some kind heading into the regular season.

Sweat's return is the kind of note worth logging without overselling it. The Cardinals needed him healthy and he is, for now. That's a real thing. It just doesn't change the broader shape of what this offseason has been, which is a team trying to hold together with fewer pieces than it started with.