The Patriots, at 2-6, are the worst team in the AFC. They’re No. 16 out of 16 in the standings.
So it makes sense that they’d sell at the trade deadline. And they’re typically the most inclined to trade players in the last year of their contracts.
Linebacker Josh Uche fits that profile. A second-round pick in 2020, he’s due to become a free agent in March 2024.
He fits another profile for the Patriots. They don’t pay market value to pass rushers.
Some would say the Patriots should him until free agency and get a compensatory pick in 2025. If, however, the Patriots intend to be aggressive in 2024 free agency, they might not get any compensatory picks. Thus, there’s a chance that the only path to value for Uche comes from trading him today.