The Patriots on Monday traded Uche to the Kansas City Chiefs for a 2026 sixth-round pick, as first reported by NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo.
Belichick viewed it as a win for Kansas City and threw a slight jab in New England’s direction when asked about the deal.
“They (Chiefs) didn’t give up anything in my mind,” Belichick told the “Pat McAfee Show” on Monday afternoon. “Look, Josh Uche’s a really good rusher. He hasn’t had a chance to rush much this year for the Patriots because they’ve been behind a lot. The situation hasn’t been good.”
The Patriots have allowed opponents to run the ball down their throats and build sizable leads. Uche, a situational pass-rusher, played 35% or more of defensive snaps just twice in seven contests.
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Belichick selected Uche in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft and believes the rusher can regain what the former Patriots coach saw in him coming out of Michigan.
“He had a big year two years ago,” said Belichick, referencing Uche’s 11.5 sack campaign. “Now, he had (Matthew) Judon on the other side of him so it was two good pass-rushers. But he’ll have a lot of opportunities to rush in Kansas City.
“I think that he’ll really help them (Chiefs). He’s got surprising power for his size. He’s got excellent quickness and a good get-off. And he has some flexibility in coverage. So I think it’s a good addition for a team that needs another pass-rusher, which everybody does. Josh can do that. He’ll definitely help them.”
It felt like the writing was on the wall for Uche, who was involved in trade rumors during the 2023 campaign when Belichick was at the helm. The 26-year-old signed a one-year deal last offseason and is set to hit free agency in March. Uche also was a healthy scratch during New England’s Week 8 win over the New York Jets.
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