The New England Patriots pulled off an upset win over the New York Jets on Sunday, and they did it without popular trade candidate Josh Uche. A second-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Michigan product first made a name for himself when he recorded 11.5 sacks, 27 tackles, nine tackles-for-loss, and 14 quarterback hits during the 2022 season. He followed this up with a relatively pedestrian three-sack 2023 and ultimately signed a one-year, prove-it deal with the Patriots.
Josh Uche has performed well as a situational pass rusher, but the team will probably trade him. Even after their upset win against the Jets, New England is still 2-4 and won’t compete for anything in 2024. The Patriots made Uche a healthy scratch in Week 8’s matchup, which heavily implies the team is deep in trade talks with another organization. Seeing as he can’t get hurt if he doesn’t play, New England could send him to the Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens, or Detroit Lions.
#Patriots LB Josh Uche is out today vs the Jets, despite not having an injury. He has been a focal point in trade talks around the NFL and his contract is very appealing to contending teams. pic.twitter.com/AP7rBEABul
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) October 27, 2024
Josh Uche Trade Becomes More Likely After Patriots Roster Move
The Kansas City Chiefs entered Week 8 as the NFL’s last remaining undefeated team and should handle business against the Las Vegas Raiders. However, a pristine record does not mean a flawless roster, as this organization could use another pass rusher or two. Kansas City has just 10 sacks through their first six games, which isn’t enough to support a battered secondary. While Trent McDuffie remains a reliable playmaker, the Chiefs will struggle to get by with breakout fourth-round pick Jaylen Watson done for the season. A Josh Uche trade might not fix every issue, but it certainly couldn’t hurt.
The Chiefs are all-in on the 2024 season as they chase their third Super Bowl in as many seasons. The team already fixed their offense with the DeAndre Hopkins trade, so now it’s time to address the defense. Josh Uche won’t be the top pass rusher on this team, but the trade target is easily worth a sixth-round pick. With Chris Jones continuing to dominate from the interior, Uche can join former first-round pick George Karlaftis on the outside and give the team three players capable of consistently getting after the quarterback.
Other Suitors
The Detroit Lions continue to dominate weaker opponents, as their 52-14 win over the Tennessee Titans was one of the few blowouts on an otherwise fantastic slate of games. However, they still must find their Aidan Hutchinson replacement, as competent organizations won’t fall quite as easily against Detroit’s high-powered offense and special teams. Uche is no Hutchinson and he can’t always hold his own against the run, but his strong pass-rushing prowess makes him an ideal fit on a defense that will likely see several passing looks from teams trying to keep up with Detroit’s offense.
Week 8’s upset loss to the Cleveland Browns proved that the Baltimore Ravens still have some work to do as they build their roster. While the absence of Deshaun Watson certainly played a role in Cleveland’s revived passing attack, Baltimore’s lackluster pass rush didn’t help matter. The team recorded just two sacks as former first-overall pick Jameis Winston had plenty of time to survey the field and pick apart the Ravens secondary. Head coach Jim Harbaugh prefers to rotate his edge defenders, and a Josh Uche trade would give Baltimore a much-needed complement to Kyle Van Noy and former first-round pick Odafe Oweh.
Main Photo: Gregory Fischer – USA Today Sports
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