Josh Uche is indeed on the move. The fifth-year edge rusher is being traded from the Patriots to the Chiefs, as first reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo.
Kansas City will send New England a 2026 sixth-round pick, according to Rapoport.
Given Uche’s status as a pending free agent, this level of compensation isn’t surprising.
He was a healthy scratch yesterday, hinting at the possibility of a trade. After nearly trading him last year but ultimately holding on, the Patriots will now see Uche move on.
Nearing the end of his rookie contract last year, Uche attracted trade interest, and New England almost reached a deal before the deadline.
He remained with the team, however, and later re-signed on a one-year contract that included a base salary of just $1.3 million.
With most of that already paid out, this will be a low-cost addition for Kansas City, which currently holds the league’s only undefeated record and will add Uche as a rotational edge option.
Uche’s standout season came in 2022 when he recorded 11.5 sacks, despite a snap share of only 38%.
Expectations were high for increased production or a larger role moving forward, but neither materialized.
Since the start of last season, the Michigan product has posted five sacks, maintaining a similar snap count. With the Chiefs, he will likely be used as a third-down specialist.
Kansas City continues to rely heavily on Chris Jones as a core part of its pass rush. On the edge, the team has Mike Danna, Charles Omenihu, and recent draftees George Karlaftis and Felix Anudike-Uzomah.
Uche will work to establish a role within that group while boosting his free-agent profile. For the Chiefs, this trade marks another midseason move (following the DeAndre Hopkins trade) as they pursue a third straight Super Bowl title.
The Chiefs entered Monday near the bottom of the league in cap space, so additional moves may be difficult unless they are also short-term, low-cost transactions.
Kansas City has reportedly shown interest in adding a cornerback after Jaylen Watson’s likely season-ending injury, so it will be interesting to see if they address that need before the November 5 deadline.
With 15 sacks through seven games, Kansas City ranks 22nd in the NFL in that category.
Enhancing their pass rush could further elevate the league’s No. 5 scoring defense, and Uche will be part of that effort.
Meanwhile, at 2-6, New England may be a team to watch for additional trade moves as the deadline approaches.
