Here’s how NFL analysts graded the Patriots trading Josh Uche to the Chiefs
"From a pure football perspective, this trade makes little sense for the Patriots."
Patriots trade grades: The Patriots completed a trade on Monday, sending pass rusher Josh Uche to the Chiefs in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round pick.
At 2-6, trading Uche was a clear signal that the Patriots are looking to the future given the team’s present circumstances. Even after defeating the Jets on Sunday, New England is still at the bottom of the division.
As for the return for Uche, who was originally a 2020 second-round pick, NFL analysts offered a slight range of opinions.
ESPN
“Uche was an obvious candidate to move,” wrote ESPN analytics writer Seth Walder. “They were able to re-sign him for cheap this offseason, but Uche is a pending free agent and New England is as far away from being a contender as a team can get. Since the Patriots have the most 2025 cap space of any team, per Roster Management, the risk of not receiving a compensatory pick for Uche had they kept him and let him walk in free agency was high.
Grade: B
The Athletic
“From a pure football perspective, this trade makes little sense for the Patriots,” said NFL insider Jeff Howe. “No, it wasn’t working with Uche, but why not? Why not spend the next 10 games trying to make it work? It won’t reflect well on New England if Uche tears it up in Kansas City.”
Howe added that despite the over factors, there was admittedly the potential for good karma for New England.
“There’s one more element at play here,” Howe explained. “It’s also possible the Patriots are doing right by Uche after he took such a massive hometown discount. With the way things were trending, he wasn’t going to get a huge contract in free agency, but they’ve given him a path to do that now.
“If that’s how it works out, maybe some good karma will come back to them.”
Grade: C
CBS Sports
“It’s nice that they get another draft pick to supplement their rebuild around rookie quarterback Drake Maye, but it would have been ideal to get a round or two higher,” theorized CBS writer Garrett Podell. “Especially for a 26-year-old, former second-round pick who has shown he can produce a double-digit sacks season. New England is obviously in the midst of teardown, which is the right move for the franchise at this stage.”
Grade: C+
Trivia: Josh Uche is not the current leader in career sacks among his draft class. Which player from the 2020 NFL Draft currently has the most career sacks?
(Answer at the bottom).
Hint: Steelers.
Scores and schedules:
The Bruins lost to the Flyers 2-0 on Tuesday night. Boston will be back in action on Thursday in Carolina against the Hurricanes at 7 p.m.
Tonight, the Celtics face the Pacers in Indiana at 7 p.m.
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On this day: In 2013, John Lackey pitched a gem through 6.2 innings, Shane Victorino hit a bases-clearing double to plate three runs, and Koji Uehara pitched a scoreless 9th as the Red Sox defeated the Cardinals 6-1 to win the World Series in six games.
It was the first World Series title clinched at Fenway Park in 95 years.
Daily highlight: It didn’t got the Bruins’ way on Tuesday, but goaltender Joonas Korpisalo made a solid save to deny the Flyers in this sequence.
Trivia answer: Alex Highsmith
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