Some tough decisions will have to be made by the New England Patriots ahead of the trade deadline, and linebacker Josh Uche is a name that clearly stands out as a potential bargaining chip.
So what could the Patriots get for him?
Two front office executives told the Boston Herald’s Andrew Callahan that Uche’s value should be a third or fourth-round draft pick. A third-round pick would be solid value in return for the Patriots at this point.
It’s time to sell—and sell hard.
The Patriots are sitting at 1-5 with barely a pulse left in the AFC East, let alone the entire conference. Next up on the itinerary is two head-to-head matchups with the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins that should drive the final nail in the coffin of their 2023 season.
Two front-office executives tell me Josh Uche's trade value should be a 3rd or 4th-round pick.
So, should the Pats deal him? Find more trade talk on @PatsInterferenc:
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🎧https://t.co/4rEc5RZ2z3💰@FDSportsbook #PatsInt https://t.co/pFXR3aKrWe
— Andrew Callahan (@_AndrewCallahan) October 18, 2023
It’s time to start thinking about building for the future, and to do that, the Patriots need to acquire as many draft picks as possible. They’ll already be entering 2024 with the second-most projected cap space. Throw in a bevy of picks and they’ll be in prime position to start a clean reboot.
Uche hasn’t broken out like the team hoped due to his limitations in being an every-down player. He has no issues pinning his ears back and getting after the quarterback. When it comes to being a pure pass-rusher, he’s one of the most talented in the business.
But he has shown weaknesses in defending the run, and those issues have popped up throughout his NFL career. Pro Football Focus has given him a 74.0 pass-rushing grade, while his run defense is 63.6. He is coming off a game against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 7 that left him with his worst grades in both categories so far this season.
The former second-round draft pick also played in only 19 snaps, which isn’t ideal for a player of his caliber.
Finding a suitable trade is the only viable option at this point. If not, the Patriots run the risk of Uche walking out the door for nothing. Sometimes, knowing when to fold is equally as important as pushing the chips on the table.
