Patriots Pressure: Josh Uche's Approach to Contract Year?

Coming up on a contract year, New England Patriots edge rusher Josh Uche is more motivated than ever.

The New England Patriots defense benefitted in 2022 from a breakout season by outside linebacker/edge rusher Josh Uche, who produced 11 sacks.

It was the type of production the Patriots hoped they would get when they selected the former Michigan standout in the second-round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Now heading into 2023, his career year could prove to be a launching pad as he heads into the final season of his rookie deal. 

So is Uche feeling the pressure of a potential payday and having to prove that last season wasn't just a one-off?

“In college, I was put in a similar situation,” Uche told Tom E. Curran and Phil Perry on a recent episode of the Patriots Talk Podcast. “You had four years to try and fulfill your dreams. That pressure kind of gets put on you as you approach your senior year, and I learned if you treat every year of your career like a contract year, you don’t have that stress."

Playing like every year is a contract year seems like a fitting description of how Uche produced in his third year as a pro. 

Alongside veteran edge rusher Matthew Judon, the pairing gave New England two threatening edge rushers that gave opposing offensive lines trouble. Judon and Uche accounted for 27 of the team's 54 sacks, which ranked the Patriots' third in the NFL.

But the Patriots need consistency, and one good year won't cut it if Uche is hoping to maximize his value come next offseason. Which means he'll likely need to prove himself again, not just as a pass rusher, but also as a run defender.

According to Pro Football Focus, Uche played in just 47 snaps in a "run defense role," basically making his role purely as a pass-rush specialist. In comparison, Deatrich Wise Jr played 311 snaps, Judon came in at 305 and Anfernee Jennings featured in 159, playing the same role.

This makes it imperative that Uche finds a way to stay on the field for all three downs if he hopes to stay in New England on a big contract.

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