Patriots LB Josh Uche Focused on 'Controlling the Controllables'

New England Patriots linebacker Josh Uche is once again expected to be one of the team's top pass-rushing options in 2023.

FOXBORO — New England Patriots linebacker Josh Uche emerged as one of the team's top pass rushers in 2022. However, the Michigan product is clearly not one to rest on his laurels. 

“Last year is last year ... can’t cash in on much from last year, it’s a new season,” Uche told reporters at Gillette Stadium on Thursday. “I'm just focusing on the next opponent, just improving. It’s a new season, new plays need to be made, new steps need to be taken. Kind of trying to forget last year and build and become the best football player I can be.”

Alongside Pro Bowler Matthew Judon, Uche helped provide the Pats with one of the more formidable pass-rushing tandems in the NFL last season. New England tied for third in the NFL with 54 sacks. The 24-year-old finished the campaign with a career-high 11.5 sacks, 27 total tackles (nine for loss), 14 quarterback hits and two forced fumbles. In fact, Uche's three-sack performance (his second such outing of the season) in Week 14 against the Arizona Cardinals earned him AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors. 

While Uche deserves the majority of the credit for working toward his improvement, he also credited current and former teammates such as Judon, Dont'a Hightower, Devin McCourty, Matthew Slater and Jamie Collins -- who recently expressed a desire to become an NFL coach during an appearance on the Locked On Patriots Podcast -- with helping him develop a more liberating approach to the game. 

"It was just being more free ... not stressing the things I can’t control and just controlling the controllables for myself,” Uche explained. “Just going out there, having fun. Kind and finding my groove.  That's when I found myself having a lot more fun and not worrying about the other things" 

Despite being one of the most highly-touted Patriots' rookies just three seasons ago— selected at 60 overall in the second round in the 2020 NFL Draft — Uche’s 2021 season did not exactly live up to expectations. His placement on injured reserve in mid-November (resulting from an ankle injury) stalled a season in which he had been used sporadically.

However, Uche used his speed, athleticism and system savvy to become a significant factor in the Patriots defense both as an edge rusher, and as an off-the-ball linebacker in 2022. As he exhibited greater freedom in his playing style, his skillset allowed him to play on the line in the Patriots’ 5-1 looks as well as their 4-2 and 4-3 alignments and also move back if they run a more traditional 3-4.

As such, the ex-Wolverine is about to understandably enter the final year of his rookie deal, with a bit more swagger in his saunter. Still, he will continue to work toward his most important goal -- providing both he and the Patriots with as much success as possible. 

“Everything," Uche said when asked about the areas of his game which he identified for improvement during the offseason. "I love football, so I’m trying to be the best I can be, be as prepared as I can be," he added. "Coverage, pass rush, run, everything.”

Though he remains cognizant of his potentially becoming an unrestricted free agent at the conclusion of this season, Uche made it clear that any considerations beyond 2023 will remain far from his mind.

"It comes back to controlling the controllables," Uche said with a grin. "All I can do is come in each day, work as hard as I can ... Eventually, the rest will handle itself. Like I've always said, whatever the team needs me to do to win, I’m doing it. That's one thing I've tried to live by since while being here and that's one thing I’m going to continue to live by.”

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Follow Mike D’Abate on Twitter @mdabateNFL and Listen/Subscribe to his daily podcast: Locked On Patriots

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