In his fourth season with the New England Patriots, 25-year-old Josh Uche has already made a name for himself as an exceptional pass rusher. His performance last year was a testament to his evolving skill set, finishing the season with 11.5 sacks, 25 pressures, and nine tackles for loss. This marked a career-best for the young edge rusher, showcasing a promising trajectory in the competitive world of professional football. His ability to disrupt the offense has reflected in his statistics, but has contributed to the entire Patriots’ defense. Uche didn’t sign a contract extension before the season, setting him on track to become an unrestricted free agent this March.
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Josh Uche Inactive vs Dolphins As Trade Rumors for the Patriots Pass Rusher Heat Up
With two sacks and six pressures in six games this season, Uche was inactive last week with an ankle/toe injury and was a surprise inactive against the Dolphins on the Saturday injury report after practicing all week. Following last season, there was reason for Uche to want an extension. However, he failed to come to an agreement with the Patriots during the offseason. When addressing those extension talks Uche said, “They’ve been in communication. I just didn’t want to worry myself with the details. I just let [my agents] handle all the little stuff and just come out here and work each day.”In mid-October, Henry McKenna of Fox Sports reported that the Patriots’ front office and their pass rusher had not engaged in any contract discussions throughout the season.
The #Patriots have had no contract discussions with edge Josh Uche, per source. He will be an FA in 2024 and the trade deadline is looming.
Uche had 11.5 sacks last year. So far, he has 2.5 sacks this year, though he suffered a foot injury.
Are Patriots selling? Uche has value.
— Henry McKenna (@henrycmckenna) October 17, 2023
The Halloween Deadline Looms
With the trade deadline coming on Halloween night, rumors involving the Patriots pass rusher have picked up. Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported Saturday that Uche is an AFC East name that’s gaining traction in the trade market. Another is Bills cornerback Kaiir Elam. The deadline is this Tuesday, Oct. 31st at 4 p.m. ET, and with Uche’s rookie contract set to expire at the end of this season, the Patriots could easily look to get some draft capital in return for a nice young player at a key position.
The unfolding drama regarding the Patriots potentially trading away promising young talents for assets adds an interesting dimension to the upcoming trade deadline scenario. Initially, the Patriots’ 1-5 record led many to broadly anticipate them being sellers at the deadline. However, the narrative shifted slightly after an uplifting upset victory over the Buffalo Bills. Another surprise win against Miami could potentially alter the Patriots’ stance at the deadline. Thus, making them more inclined to retain players at those crucial positions.
Two AFC East names worth watching at trade deadline: #Bills corner Kaiir Elam and #Patriots pass rusher Josh Uche. Both players have garnered trade interest, per sources.
Elam, a former first-round pick, was inactive Thursday, while Uche is in the final year of his rookie deal. pic.twitter.com/Ew9wTlawiI
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) October 28, 2023
Uche’s Time In New England Coming to a Close
Despite being limited in his practice participation throughout the week, Josh Uche being inactive this week against the Dolphins came as a bit of a shock. When coupled with the emerging reports suggesting lots of chatter in trade discussions surrounding him, the scene is being set for Uche’s tenure with the Patriots to come to an end. The modest count of 19 snaps he delivered during the Week 6 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders is now being speculated as potentially his final appearance donning a Patriots jersey.
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Main Photo: Kris Craig – USA Today Sports
