New England and Jacksonville are set to face off in London in what could be the final game before the Patriots trade Josh Uche. A second-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Uche spent his first two seasons in a depth role before breaking out in 2022. Appearing in 15 games, the Michigan product recorded 11.5 sacks, 27 tackles, nine tackles-for-loss, and 14 quarterback hits while helping to compensate for an abysmal offense. While he never recaptured that form during the next two seasons, Uche established himself to be a reliable situational pass rusher whose ability to beat tackles more than justifies his struggles against the run.
While he plays a role on New England’s defense, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that the team could trade him as the season winds down. Playing on a cheap one-year deal, teams like the Detroit Lions, Baltimore Ravens, and Kansas City Chiefs could make a move for Uche to reinforce their pass rush as they chase a title.
The Lions are doing their due diligence on the pass-rush market, looking for help replacing Aidan Hutchinson (tibia/fibula)…And teams have interest in Pats sub rusher Joshua Uche, too. While [Haason] Reddick wants a new contract, Uche and Smith are on low-base salaries this year (Smith at $1.2 million, Uche at $1.3 million), which makes them quite tradeable.
Patriots Could Trade Josh Uche Following London Matchup Vs Jaguars
Aidan Hutchinson is arguably the best pass rusher in the game, and the Lions won’t be able to replicate his production with a Josh Uche trade. However, seeing as only two or three players in the world are capable of matching Hutchinson’s talent, Detroit has no choice but to make do with the players available. With Hutchinson and free agent signee Marcus Davenport done for the season, Detroit will turn to the underwhelming trio of James Houston, Josh Paschal, and Isaiah Thomas to get after the quarterback. These three leave plenty to be desired, and Uche could immediately earn a role in this rotation.
At 4-1, the Detroit Lions currently sit one game behind the 5-0 Minnesota Vikings in the NFL’s most competitive division. While the offense will remain elite, you can’t bet on winning every game in a shootout. Detroit’s secondary is strong, but Hutchinson’s absence gives the Lions one of the worst pass rushes in football. Teams will pass early and often to keep up with Detroit’s offense, which makes a Josh Uche trade all the more likely. Uche’s a liability against the run, but that won’t be as much of an issue on this defense.
Help in the AFC
Despite their pristine 5-0 record, the Kansas City Chiefs have a few flaws in their armor. While injuries at the wide receiver position are the most pressing issue, they could use more ferocity in their pass rush. Superstar defensive tackle Chris Jones remains elite, but the edge rushers are nothing special. The Chiefs have just nine sacks as a team, tied for the fourth-fewest in the NFL. With a third of that production coming from Jones himself, the Chiefs could trade for Josh Uche and land someone who should easily usurp first-round bust Felix Anudike-Uzomah on the depth chart.
The Ravens, meanwhile, are still looking for a proper replacement for Jadeveon Clowney. Kyle Van Noy continues to defy age while former first-round pick Odafe Oweh puts together another strong season, but Baltimore could use another body. Historically, the team prefers to rotate their edge rushers to keep everyone fresh, and a Josh Uche trade would add a much-needed complementary player to this depth chart. The Ravens are one of the NFL’s best teams and must load up on depth to survive the physical demands of a deep postseason run.
Main Photo: Gregory Fisher – USA Today Sports
