Josh Uche

Chiefs Acquire Josh Uche From Patriots

October 28th, 2024 at 10:10pm CST by Adam La Rose

Josh Uche is indeed on the move. The fifth-year edge rusher is being traded from the Patriots to the Chiefs, as first reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo.

Kansas City will send New England a 2026 sixth-round pick, Rapoport adds. That level of compensation comes as little surprise given Uche’s status as a pending free agent. He was a healthy scratch yesterday, an indication that a trade was possible. After the Patriots elected not to pull of a trade in his case last year, he will now be on the move.

Nearing the end of his rookie contract last year, Uche drew trade interest and the Pats nearly worked out a deal ahead of the deadline. Instead, he remained in place and ultimately re-signed on a one-year deal. That pact included a base salary of only $1.3MM, and with much of that total already being paid out this will be a very low-cost addition on the Chiefs’ part. The league’s only remaining undefeated team will now have another rotational option along the edge.

Uche’s best year came in 2022 when he posted 11.5 sacks. Considering he only logged a snap share of 38% that season, expectations were raised for continued production or at least a heavier workload moving forward. Neither has turned out to be the case, with the Michigan product totaling five sacks since the start of last season and logging a similar snap count to the earlier portion of his career. He will be viewed as a third-down specialist upon arrival with Kansas City.

The Chiefs have of course continued to rely on Chris Jones as a foundational contributor in the pass-rush department. Along the edge, the team has Mike Danna, Charles Omenihu along with recent draftees George Karlaftis and Felix Anudike-Uzomah. Uche will aim to carve out a role as part of that group while attempting to boost his free agent stock. For Kansas City, meanwhile, this move marks another midseason addition (following the DeAndre Hopkins trade) as a third straight Super Bowl title is sought.

The Chiefs entered Monday near the bottom of the league in terms of cap space, so any further moves could be challenging unless they were also of the short-term, low-cost variety. Kansas City has been linked to pursuing a cornerback in the wake of Jaylen Watson‘s (likely season-ending) injury, and it will be interesting to see if anything happens at that position before the November 5 deadline.

Kansas City currently sits 22nd in the NFL with 15 sacks through seven games. Improving in that department could provide a notable boost to the league’s No. 5 scoring defense, and Uche will look to chip in on that front. At 2-6 on the year, meanwhile, New England could be a team to watch from a seller’s perspective regarding further moves.

Patriots’ Josh Uche Inactive For Week 8

October 28th, 2024 at 10:39am CST by Adam La Rose

Josh Uche is once again the subject of trade speculation as the November 5 deadline approaches. As uncertainty looms over his future, he found himself inactive for the Patriots’ Week 8 contest.

“It was just a healthy scratch and we also [aim] to put the best team out there that gives us the best chance to win,” head coach Jerod Mayo said when addressing the decision (via Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald).

Uche, to little surprise, is drawing trade interest. That was also the case last year, and the Patriots came close to working out a deal which would have sent him to a new team for the remainder of his rookie contract. Instead, the former second-rounder stayed in New England before signing a one-year deal to keep him in place for 2024. Uche had appeared in the Patriots’ first seven games, recording a pair of sacks and five pressures.

It will be interesting to see if the Michigan product’s benching is an indication of a trade being worked on. As Kyed notes, Uche is viewed as New England’s top trade candidate based on his status as a pending free agent who would not be expensive to acquire. His base salary for the year is only $1.3MM, so nearly every team in the league could easily absorb the prorated remainder of that figure in a trade.

Uche had a strong season in 2022 with 11.5 sacks, but he has not developed into a three-down contributor for New England. Any team pursuing a deal would no doubt view him as a third-down specialist capable of chipping in on a rotational basis. A part-time workload is usually in store for Anfernee Jennings, who took on additional snaps in Uche’s absence. He would be in line for an increased role moving forward in the event a trade involving Uche were to be worked out.

Patriots’ Josh Uche Drawing Trade Interest; K.J. Osborn Could Be Available?

October 26th, 2024 at 8:46pm CST by Adam La Rose

One year ago, Josh Uche was the subject of considerable trade interest. With the Patriots set up to operate as sellers in 2024, the fifth-year edge rusher is again a candidate to be dealt.

New England reportedly came very close to working out a trade agreement in Uche’s case last October. He wound up remaining with the team, though, playing out the rest of his rookie contract. The 26-year-old (like many other Patriots, especially on defense) would up staying in place this offseason by signing a one-year deal. As a pending free agent for the second straight year, he would again represent a low-cost pickup for a contending team.

To little surprise, then, Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network report Uche’s name is “floating around the trade market.” The former second-rounder is attached to a base salary of only $1.3MM, and any acquiring team would take on a prorated portion of that figure. Especially as a rental at that financial cost, Uche could be an attractive target to any number of suitors. Expectations would likely be tempered in terms of role and production in the event of a deal, though.

Uche’s snap shares have ranged between 30-38% during his career. Never known for his run defense, the Michigan product flashed potential as sack artist in 2022 with a career-high 11.5 in that department. The following season resulted in only three sacks, however, and Uche has managed a pair so far this year. With the Patriots sitting at 1-6, they could be inclined to take a late-round pick as a means of giving him a fresh start on a team willing to add him as a rotational depth piece. Interestingly, Uche changed agents this summer, so being dealt to a new team could alter the nature of talks on a contract keeping him in place beyond 2024.

The receiver position has become a talking point recently in New England, and veteran Kendrick Bourne has been added to the list of potential trade candidates. A move returning him to San Francisco in particular would be sensible, but the 29-year-old said earlier this week he prefers to remain with the Patriots. Younger members of the WR room have expressed frustration with their situations, though, and that includes K.J. Osborn. The free agent addition has seen his playing time drop since the start of the season, something which is no doubt not sitting well.

Osborn, 27, posted consistent secondary production from 2021-23 with the Vikings. He only managed a one-year deal worth $4MM on the open market, and that pact includes a base salary of just $1.18MM. The NFL Network piece notes Osborn is thus a likelier trade candidate than Bourne as teams continue to sort out a wideout market no longer featuring Davante Adams, Amari Cooper or DeAndre Hopkins. It will be interesting to see how first-year general manager Eliot Wolf and rookie head coach Jerod Mayo handle the Patriots’ trade chips in advance of the November 5 deadline.

Patriots’ Josh Uche Changes Agents

July 8th, 2024 at 8:57am CST by Adam La Rose

The Patriots have made it a priority to retain several players this offseason, and that includes Josh Uche. The fifth-year edge rusher could have tested the market in free agency, but instead he took a one-year deal to remain in New England in 2024.

Uche had more lucrative offers waiting from outside suitors, but the 25-year-old elected to play on a prove-it contract worth a base value of $3MM. He can earn up to $8MM via incentives, and reaching them would also position him as one of the more attractive free agents in 2025. Perhaps keeping that in mind, Uche recently changed representation.

The Michigan alum now has Drew Rosenhaus as his agent, as noted by ESPN’s Mike Reiss. Rosenhaus initially represented him at the start of his career, but that was not the case by the time he took his one-year Patriots deal. Now, a change back to Rosenhaus has taken place ahead of a 2024 campaign which will have significant financial implications for Uche.

The former second-rounder enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2022, posting 11.5 sacks. He remained a rotational player this past season, though, and his pass rush production took a step back (three sacks, 15 pressures). Uche – who has not developed into a strong run defender at the NFL level – has logged snap shares between 30% and 38% in each of his Patriots campaigns, and it will be interesting to see if he earns an increased workload this season under Jerod Mayo.

Leading up to the 2023 trade deadline, Uche drew considerable interest and the Patriots nearly worked out a deal. He later made it clear he wished to remain in New England, something which will be the case for at least one more season. Uche’s performance as a pending free agent for the second time in his career will be worth watching closely, and he will approach another Patriots deal or one sending him to a new team with a familiar face representing him.

Patriots, Josh Uche Agree To Terms

March 12th, 2024 at 2:42pm CST by Adam La Rose

Transition-tagging Kyle Dugger and re-signing Kendrick Bourne and Michael Onwenu, the Patriots are doing well to retain their own. Another player mentioned in 2023 trade talks is sticking around under Jerod Mayo.

Josh Uche will stay with the Patriots on a one-year deal, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo report. After breaking through for a productive 2022 season, Uche took a step back last year. But the Pats will be the team that authorizes the Michigan alum’s ‘prove it’ pact. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated adds the contract is worth $3MM but has a maximum value of $8MM via incentives.

As the NFL Network report notes, Uche had “much more on the table elsewhere” with respect to interest from outside suitors. Tom Pelissero passes along that one of those offers was worth $15MM over two years, including $11MM guaranteed. Instead, Uche decided to stick in New England on a lesser contract.

The former second-rounder showed considerable potential as a sack artist in 2022, posting 11.5 sacks. He has not developed into a regular on defense due to deficiencies against the run, but teams are regularly willing to spend for sack production.

Instead of trying to carve out a larger role with a new team, Uche will prepare for a fifth New England campaign. The 25-year-old saw his sack total drop to three in 2023, with his QB pressures also falling from 25 to 15. He was limited to 15 games last year (as was the case in 2022), and injuries were a factor taken into consideration on the trade front. In spite of that, New England came very close to working out a trade. In the end, no swap martialized, and Uche later confirmed his desire for a Patriots re-up.

The 240-pounder is undersized compared to most edge rushers, something which has been a factor in determining his playing time. Uche has seen snap shares between 30% and 38% throughout his career, and the potential classification as a part-time contributor no doubt worked against him. Nevertheless, Uche has elected to turn down more money to play under Mayo in 2024. Team and player could reap the rewards if a productive campaign ensues.

Sam Robinson contributed to this post.

Mutual Interest Between Patriots, Josh Uche On New Deal

November 19th, 2023 at 4:48pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Patriots were quiet at the trade deadline despite having a number of pending free agents which garnered attention from contending teams. One of them – edge rusher Josh Uche – appeared to be on his way out of New England. Instead, he may remain in place beyond 2023.

Uche, who is set to see his rookie contract expire in March, was frequently named as a trade candidate in the build-up to last month’s deadline. Compared to fellow 2019 draftees Kyle Dugger and Michael Onwenu, he was listed as the player likeliest to be dealt. Advanced talks took place, and the Seahawks were named as an interested team, but no trade was hammered out. Now, Uche is due to reach free agency for the first time in his career.

The 25-year-old confirmed, via ESPN’s Mike Reiss, that head coach Bill Belichick was transparent about the team’s discussions regarding a trade which would have sent him elsewhere. With that having been avoided, though, it will be interesting to see how large of a workload he logs down the stretch. The former second-rounder has seen a 33% snap share this season, a slight step back from his playing time in his breakout 2022 campaign. Uche posted 11.5 of his 17.5 career sacks in the latter year.

For that reason, it came as something of a surprise when reports emerged that no extension talks had taken place as of last month. Uche has missed a pair of games this season, though, and posted only a pair of sacks to date. Those factors could complicate his value on the open market, along with how teams view him with respect to holding three-down potential or simply being a sack artist. In any case, interest in a second Patriots contract appears to be mutual.

“I want to be here,” Uche said, adding he does not expect negotiations to start until the offseason. “From my conversations with [Belichick], they want me here. It’s just all about making sure all the pieces fit together, and sometimes it’s out of our control, and then sometimes it just takes time.”

The Patriots are currently scheduled to have the second-most cap space in the NFL in 2024, so the team will have considerable spending power on deals for outside free agents or re-ups with internal players. It will be interesting to see if an agreement can be worked out in the coming months to keep Uche in New England, or if the team will be prepared to let him walk in free agency after not dealing him away mid-season.

AFC Trade Rumors: Patriots, Broncos, Renfrow

October 31st, 2023 at 10:15pm CST by Ely Allen

The Patriots fielded lots of calls for trade offers during today’s trade deadline, but two of the bigger names on their roster reportedly received no interest. According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, teams called New England to take the temperature on pass rusher Josh Uche, safety Kyle Dugger, and tackle Michael Onwenu, while quarterback Mac Jones and veteran running back Ezekiel Elliott didn’t receive any nibbles.

Uche, Dugger, and Onwenu are all facing contract-years, so they all held a decent chance of being dealt. Uche was reportedly the most likely, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. After a couple quiet years to start his career, Uche burst onto the scene in 2022, combining with Matt Judon for half of the team’s 54 sacks last year. Mike Dugar of The Athletic reports that the Seahawks held serious interest in Uche “with talks going pretty deep,” but ultimately, landed Leonard Williams from New York instead. With Seattle filling their defensive line need with Williams, Uche will remain in New England.

As will, Jones and Elliott. It’s unclear how serious the Patriots were, if at all, about seeking trade partners for the two offensive contributors. The team will face a fifth-round option decision for Jones before next year, while Elliott will become a free agent at the end of the season.

Here are a few other rumors from around the AFC, starting out West:

It was a similar scene up in Mile High, where the Broncos decided not to move any of their potential trade assets due to a lack of serious interest. While the team reportedly did receive offers on players like receivers Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton, they didn’t gauge the offers as good enough to move on, per Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report. Mike Klis of 9NEWS relayed that the team is “confident in its group of players.” While it seemed the team may be willing to dive into a rebuild, beating a sick Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs may have convinced them otherwise.
Remaining in the West, the Raiders were unable to find a buyer for wide receiver Hunter Renfrow, to little surprise. Las Vegas gave Renfrow a big-money extension after his Pro Bowl season and has diminished his role severely ever since. So far this year, Renfrow has been on the field for over half of the Raiders’ offensive snaps in only three games. According to Vic Tafur of The Athletic, the remaining guaranteed money in Renfrow’s contract prevented any teams from fully following through on their interest in the veteran receiver. With Renfrow staying put and the many sources shooting down reports of wide receiver Davante Adams wanting out of Vegas, according to Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the Raiders stood pat at the trade deadline.

Latest On Patriots, Josh Uche

October 30th, 2023 at 4:47pm CST by Adam La Rose

4:47pm: Pointing further to Uche’s days in New England being numbered, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reports the Patriots have had “advanced trade talks” regarding the sack artist with multiple teams in recent weeks. To no surprise, Uche’s injury troubles have hindered his market, but interest from suitors and a willingness to move on from New England certainly remains in place.

11:06am: As the trade deadline approaches, attention continues to be paid to non-contending teams and their willingness to move notable players. That includes the Patriots, a team which has a number of trade chips.

Of those, edge rusher Josh Uche is the likeliest to be traded, Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald reports. Uche is one of several 2020 draftees who have yet to sign an extension and as such could be had as rentals for the stretch run in 2023. An acquiring team would no doubt be interested in signing Uche to an extension as well, however.

The former second-rounder has not engaged in talks on a new deal with the Patriots, so it comes as no surprise that his name has emerged in trade rumors. Kyed notes that interested teams have called New England about all of their pending free agents – a group which also includes the likes of safety Kyle Dugger, offensive lineman Michael Onwenu and defensive back Jalen Mills. However, any more than one deal being finalized would be noteworthy, he adds.

Uche has shown flashes of being an impactful presence off the edge during his time in New England. That was especially true last season, when he logged 11.5 sacks despite playing only 38% of the team’s defensive snaps. The Michigan alum has not received an increase in playing time this year despite the absence of top edge rusher Matt Judon. Uche, who has missed the past two games due to injury, has a pair of sacks and six QB pressures in 2023.

Relatively undersized at the edge spot, the 6-3, 240-pounder has drawn poor PFF grades for his run defense and would be in line for a role as a situational rusher on a new team. As Kyed notes, the Patriots are set to have considerable spending power in free agency, meaning they may not be in line for a Day 2 or 3 compensatory pick in the event Uche were to depart on the open market and they made a notable addition to replace him.

New England – a team which has not only been open to fielding offers but has also actively spoken with clubs to gauge the market – would likely not be able to land a premium pick in return for Uche in the event they moved him. Of course, his value will depend in large part on the asking price attached to other edge rusher on the trade block, none of whom have been moved yet. For the time being, though, Uche’s name will be one to watch as the 2-6 Patriots sort out their plans ahead of the deadline.

Patriots “Sniffing Around” At Potential Trades

October 28th, 2023 at 9:42am CST by Ben Levine

We heard earlier this week that the Patriots were “willing to listen to offers” leading up to the trade deadline. According to Albert Breer of SI.com, New England’s front office may be the side that is initiating trade talks.

The Patriots are “sniffing around” to see what draft compensation they could get for some of their logical trade candidates. Breer points to offensive lineman Michael Onwenu, safety Kyle Dugger, and defensive end Josh Uche as players who could be on the trade block. All three players are impending free agents, and despite possessing a chunk of 2024 cap space, the organization may want to move on from players they may not re-sign.

Breer opines that Uche is the player who’s most likely to be traded since he’d “probably be the most difficult of the group to re-sign.” The former second-round pick has followed up his 11.5-sack 2022 campaign by collecting six tackles and two sacks in six games this year. While his numbers this season are underwhelming, his pass-rushing ability means the Patriots would still be able to bring back a worthwhile return in a trade. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler agrees that Uche is a name “worth watching,” noting that the pass-rusher has garnered trade interest around the NFL. Likewise, based on his conversations with multiple teams, Mike Giardi of the Boston Sports Journal believes Uche has the best chance of any current Patriot to be dealt.

On the flip side, Breer thinks Onwenu is the least likely of the group to be traded. The Patriots will use the rest of the 2023 campaign to evaluate Mac Jones, and Breer can’t envision the organization hurting the QB’s chances by subtracting from the offense. Following that same logic, Breer also doesn’t see wide receiver Kendrick Bourne getting traded, and Mike Reiss of ESPN.com does not think New England will part with any top talent unless it receives at least a third-round pick in return. Of course, if another club were willing to take on an onerous contract (JuJu Smith-Schuster, DeVante Parker) as part of a deal for a player like Uche, the Pats would certainly listen.

Breer adds one more name to the list of potential trade candidates: Jalen Mills. The defensive back has served in a variety of roles with the Patriots since joining the organization in 2021. Mills got through two years of his four-year, $24MM deal before getting cut back in March, but he quickly rejoined the Patriots on a new pact. While the Patriots have dealt with a number of injuries in their secondary, Mills has only seen time in 26 percent of New England’s defensive snaps this season.

Latest On Patriots’ Deadline Plans

October 26th, 2023 at 8:59am CST by Adam La Rose

Despite their upset win over the Bills in Week 7, the 2-5 Patriots are likely to find themselves in the sellers category ahead of the upcoming trade deadline. To no surprise, the team is open to at least considering offers on a number of players.

Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald reports that the Patriots are “willing to listen to offers” which could see them deal away members of their core, specifically those on expiring contracts. That means the likes of edge rusher Josh Uche, safety Kyle Dugger and offensive lineman Michael Onwenu in particular could be the subject of trade negotiations in the coming days.

A recent report indicated Uche and the Patriots have not held extension talks, leaving him on a path toward departing in free agency in March. New England does not have a history of valuing situational edge rushers such as the Michigan alum as highly as other teams. As such, it would not come as a surprise if a market developed for his services to close out the 2023 season, but also for years to come on a long-term deal given out by an acquiring team. Uche had a breakout season last year with 11.5 sacks, but he has managed just a pair so far this season.

As fellow 2020 draftees, Dugger and Onwenu are playing out the final year of their rookie contracts. The franchise tag could be in play for the former in particular, Kyed notes, and it may become necessary if an extension cannot be worked out. Dugger expressed an affinity for the Patriots in the summer when asked about his contract status, but no updates have emerged regarding an extension being on the horizon. The same is true for Onwenu, who has proven to be a versatile and consistent blocker over the course of his career (although his performance has taken a step back in 2023).

Kyed adds that the trio of Uche, Dugger and Onwenu would each likely garner draft compensation ranging from second- to fourth-round picks if they were to be included in deadline deals. Veteran wideout Kendrick Bourne – previously named as a low-cost trade target at his position – could also draw attention and yield a Day 3 pick in return. As Jeff Howe of The Athletic notes (subscription required), New England is seen around the league as a team with desirable trade chips, so they will be a team to watch in the coming days.

The Patriots are currently slated to have the third-most 2024 cap space in the league at nearly $93MM. That flexibility could go a long way in informing their moves (or lack thereof) ahead of the October 31 deadline as they weigh the value of future assets against that of retaining key players in what appears to be another season destined to land outside the postseason.

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