After reflecting on the news over the weekend, I think what's going on is this:
We know that Apple has an offer on the table to buy Sony pictures. If Apple buys Sony, then the rights revert back to Marvel. Marvel wins, Sony is under new management, the old regime doesn't care.
Problem: Sony making poor decisions and damaging their IP. Well, what if Sony agreed to this deal with Disney to keep their value high until the studio is sold? This way, Apple can buy a studio with a couple of more wins in their book. Sure, they won't get to keep the Spider-Man rights, but the fact that Sony can make smart decisions may help sway Apple to buy them, regardless of losing such a valuable IP.
However, had Sony declined the deal with Disney, and then made their own Spider-man film, wrecked the franchise, and doubled-down only to lose millions, then Apple would scoop them up for a song, and Sony would lose out on the billion or so dollars they could make until the buyout comes to fruition. If Sony Pictures wants to exist, they need their IP untainted...and if they want to sell, they need to prove they are business savvy and worthy of purchasing. So, the simplest solution for them is to keep cost down, keep profits high (Venom, Spider-Verse, Homecoming, Far From Home) , and make well-received films (Spider-Verse, Far From Home, Homecoming), so they can at least have some weight to throw around.
I mean...this is the team that green-lit a third Smurfs movie, as well as "The Emoji Movie". Their decision making is questionable, to say the least.
Just my thoughts. Could all be incorrect gibberish, but I enjoy typing and talking, so who cares?!