Patriots trade pass rusher Josh Uche to the Chiefs

Uche was originally drafted by the Patriots in the second round in 2020.

Josh Uche will reportedly head to the Chiefs in a trade with the Patriots. AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper

October 28, 2024

1 minute to read

Even before Josh Uche was a healthy scratch from the Patriots’ lineup for Sunday’s win over the Jets, speculation over his involvement in a possible trade had already begun.

Less than 24 hours later, the answer has been given in the form of a trade from New England to the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round pick, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo.

Update: The Patriots have formally announced the trade.

Patriots trade LB Joshua Uche to the Kansas City Chiefs: https://t.co/YV0zlAmIbF pic.twitter.com/CzRxkA4Z6G
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) October 28, 2024

For the Patriots, now 2-6 after the comeback against New York a day earlier, adding another draft pick to the team’s current stockpile amid a roster rebuild inevitably makes sense.

For the Chiefs, now 7-0 after a 27-20 victory over the Raiders on Sunday, Uche adds additional talent and depth to the already championship-level defense. He has a comparatively smaller salary cap hit, and is a free agent after the 2024 season.

And for Uche himself, it’s obviously the chance to head to not simply a contender, but the consensus favorite (and the league’s only remaining undefeated team).

Uche was originally drafted by Bill Belichick in the earlier era of the Patriots in 2020 out of Michigan. Aside from a standout 2022 season — in which he tallied 11.5 sacks — Uche has struggled to stay consistent. He’s also been viewed in New England as a situational pass rusher, never playing more than 38-percent of the team’s total defensive snaps in a season.

The Patriots continue to add future draft picks, having already acquired a third-round pick from the Falcons earlier in 2024 in exchange for another pass rusher, Matthew Judon.