Patriots' Pass Rusher Named Top Trade Candidate

This New England Patriots pass rusher could be on the move before the NFL trade deadline.

Josh Uche is one of three Patriots officially ruled out of Sunday's game. Jim Davis/Globe Staff / Jim Davis-Boston Globe

The New England Patriots will almost certainly be selling some pieces between now and the NFL trade deadline, and a couple of their biggest trade candidates are on the defensive side of the ball.

One of those players is edge rusher Josh Uche.

Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz of USA Today has named Uche as one of the most likely players to be dealt before Nov. 5.

"Uche was the subject of trade deadline speculation last season, but New England held onto him and re-signed the 6-1, 240-pound pass-rushing specialist to a one-year, $3 million deal this offseason," Middlehurst-Schwartz wrote. "But maybe the new regime that brought him back will be more open to moving him given the franchise's focus on the future."

It's not the first time that Uche's name has surfaced in trade speculation, as he was pegged as a potential target for the Kansas City Chiefs earlier in the month,

Uche has logged 13 tackles and a couple of sacks through the first six games of the season and has only played in 38 percent of the Patriots' defensive snaps.

Spotty playing time is nothing new for Uche, as he has been on the field for less than 40 percent of the snaps every year since entering the NFL in 2020.

However, back in 2022, the 26-year-old enjoyed a breakout campaign, racking up 27 tackles, 11.5 sacks and a pair of forced fumbles.

It looked like the former second-round pick was about to establish himself as one of the best pass rushers in football, but last year, he took a major step back, finishing with just 15 stops and three sacks in 15 games. New England still decided to retain him on a one-year deal.

Based on Uche's 2022 production, there will almost certainly be a handful of teams interested in acquiring the University of Michigan product.

Due to the fact that Uche is slated to hit free agency in the offseason, the Pats may be better off trading him now in order to recoup some value for him.

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