Eagles Bring In Veteran Edge Rusher

The Eagles signed veteran edge rusher Joshua Uche, who had 11 1/2 sacks in 2022.

Nov 4, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachaad White (1) runs the ball against Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Joshua Uche (55) . / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

PHILADELPHIA - The Eagles have bolstered their pass rush with the addition of edge rusher Joshua Uche on a one-year deal, according to a league source.

A 2020 second-round pick out of Michigan by New England, Uche, 26, looked like he was developing into a situational pass-rushing star after recording 11 ½ sacks in just 38% of the defensive snaps for the Patriots in 2022.

Since then, the 6-foot-1, 240-pound Uche has slowed significantly and was dealt by New England to Kansas City for a sixth-round pick at the trade deadline last season.

Between the Pats and the Chiefs, Uche played in 249 defensive snaps in 2024 with two sacks, both with the Pats.

Uche was not active for the Chiefs in their Super Bowl LIX loss to the Eagles.

For Philadelphia moving forward, Uche joins an edge rotation that projects to be led by emerging third-year player Nolan Smith, reclamation project Bryce Huff, and high-ceiling second-year option Jalyx Hunt.

The Eagles lost their top edge rusher and Super Bowl hero Josh Sweat in free agency to the Arizona Cardinals and are expected to lose franchise icon Brandon Graham to retirement.

Sweat was a four-year starter in Philadelphia who produced 48 sacks in 113 games, five of those coming in the postseason. He finished his Eagles career on the biggest of high notes with a career-best 2 1/2 sacks in Super Bowl LIX.

In 60 career NFL games, Uche has only started nine and never played more than 38% of the snaps so he projects as an athletic situational player for defensive coordinator Vic Fangio and position coach Jeremiah Washburn.

The fit is a veteran presence being added to a room light on experience. A key component of the Eagles’ plan of relying on more youth is populating the roster with safety nets in case the younger players they want to step forward struggle.

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