Patriots Star Defender Not Active vs Jets Due to Trade Talks

The New England Patriots will be without linebacker Josh Uche for Sunday's game against the New York Jets. He has been a focal point in trade talks, so the team is holding him out for this game.

The NFL trade deadline is Nov. 5, so talks are starting to ramp up. We have already seen multiple players moved, and it seems that Uche could be next.

So far this season, Uche has registered 13 total tackles and two sacks for the Patriots. He has given their defense a major boost and could easily help out another team for the remainder of the season.

He plays with a high motor, something that teams love from their defenders. New England won't just give him away, but it seems that his days with the team may be numbered.

His best season came in 2022, when he registered 27 total tackles and 11.5 sacks for New England. The former University of Michigan product was taken in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

The Patriots' record is 1-6 entering this game against the Jets, so they are in full firesale mode. Uche could net them a future draft pick or two, so it's smart to take advantage while he is a hot commodity on the trade market.

DENVER, COLORADO - DECEMBER 24: Defensive tackle Christian Barmore #90 of the New England Patriots is congratulated by linebacker Josh Uche #55 after sacking Russell Wilson #3 of the Denver Broncos causing a fumble during... Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images

Part of the reason the Patriots are planning to trade Uche is that he is in the final year of his contract. He is making just $1.3 million right now, and the Patriots know that his price tag will go up heavily once the year is over.

They would rather get something for him than risk losing him for nothing in free agency this offseason. New England isn't contending this year either so losing Uche won't change anything for the trajectory of the season.

They finally made a switch at the quarterback position recently, opting to go with rookie signal-caller Drake Maye instead of Jacoby Brissett. Maye has given this Patriots team a little spark on offense but they still aren't a very good team overall.

The defense has been decent and kept them in games, but the offense has shown massive inconsistency. The hope is that they can continue to be competitive down the stretch and build toward the future.

New England has a chance to play spoiler over the final half of the year, but Uche will likely be traded sooner rather than later.

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