With the NFL trade deadline less than two weeks away, the New England Patriots could be looking to sell some pieces.
And one name in particular keeps coming up in trade rumors.
NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported Saturday night that the Patriots could release veteran linebacker Joshua Uche as the trade market begins to heat up.
“For the second year in a row, Uche’s name has surfaced on the trade market, but his low base salary of $1.3 million further increases his value,” Rapoport and Pelissero wrote.
It wouldn’t be surprising to see candidates target Uche to add more pass-rush depth. The 26-year-old showed he can go after quarterbacks in 2022, playing opposite Matthew Judon and recording a career-high 11.5 sacks.
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But Uche’s production plummeted once Judon missed most of 2023 with an injury and was shipped out of New England before this season. He had three sacks all last season and two sacks through seven games in 2024. He’s also largely a situational player, appearing on the field for only 35% of New England’s defensive snaps this season.
A team with Super Bowl aspirations like the Detroit Lions may not be deterred from pursuing Uche, especially after star lineman Aidan Hutchinson suffered a gruesome foot injury.
By parting ways with Uche, New England’s second-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Patriots will likely have more draft capital for players who will become free agents after this season. New England has until the Nov. 5 trade deadline to make a decision on releasing Uche.
