One day after being a healthy scratch in the win over the Jets, Patriots pass rusher Joshua Uche was traded today to the Chiefs for a 2026 sixth-round pick.
BEDARD'S ANALYSIS
You knew this was coming, and it may not be the last player out the door as the Patriots are squarely focused on the future. When a player is a healthy scratch, something is afoot.
I can understand why the Patriots traded Uche. He didn't have much of a role on this team considering he was a designated pass rusher and the team rarely had a lead. Only twice this season did his snap count go over 33%, and it had declined in recent weeks: 63% vs. Niners, 31% vs. Miami, 30% vs. Houston and 18% vs. Jacksonville. The Patriots have options at the position, including more snaps for Keion White, Anfernee Jennings, Jahlani Tavai and recently elevated Ochaun Mathis.
The compensation is interesting, but there's an explanation and it's basically a no-lose scenario for the Chiefs.
The Patriots could have let Uche play out his contract with the hope he got a big-money offer in the offseason to collect a compensatory pick (max is between the third and fourth round in 2026).
Two things work against that, however. For one thing, Uche was a free agent this past offseason and came back to the Patriots on a one-year, $4 million deal. Now, there are reports Uche turned down more term and money to stay with the Patriots and Jerod Mayo, but I've always been dubious about that. Maybe Uche is that unicorn, but I have my doubts. Maybe nobody wanted a guy with little run-defending ability.
The other and more important factor? The Patriots are going to be players next offseason in free agency and even if Uche landed a monster deal, it would be canceled out by their own signings so New England wouldn't get any comp picks for Uche.
This could work out very well for the Chiefs, and would be the type of move the Patriots did when they were a personnel wagon and building dynasties.
Uche stands a decent chance of having a big role for the Chiefs closing out games the rest of the regular season and into the playoffs. If he has a monster postseason, his market is going to grow when he's a free agent in 2025. He could leave the Chiefs for a big-money offer. If that happens, the Chiefs would receive ... a third-round compensatory pick in 2026 (provided they don't sign a big-ticket free agent themselves).
So the Chiefs could be trading a sixth-round pick for a player who could help them win a third-straight Super Bowl ... and receive a third-round pick in return down the line.
Total Belichick move.