With lower than every week remaining till the NFL’s commerce deadline, the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs are persevering with to improve their roster. Final week, the Chiefs traded with the Tennessee Titans to accumulate large receiver DeAndre Hopkins.
I assumed it will be Kansas Metropolis’s final transfer earlier than the deadline. I didn’t see any main weaknesses on the roster — though after Jaylen Watson’s harm, I’d have understood the crew pursuing a cornerback.
I actually wasn’t anticipating the crew to bolster its go rush. However that’s precisely what they did on Monday, buying and selling their 2026 sixth-round decide to the New England Patriots for defensive finish Josh Uche.
A 2020 second-round decide from Michigan, Uche is greatest often known as a chosen go rusher. Even throughout his days with the Wolverines, he was used virtually completely on pass-rushing downs. Whereas he did come out of faculty with 33 5/8-inch arms — a superb quantity — his 6-foot-1, 245-pound body made it arduous to think about him as an every-down NFL participant.
Nonetheless, Uche did have elite pass-rushing traits that made him an intriguing prospect. His mixture of pace and bend allowed him to fly off the ball and beat quarterbacks to the highest of their drops. As a rookie, he did want to shine his inside counter strikes — however typically, his job was easy: win rapidly.
Thankfully, he landed in a scenario that allowed him to do precisely that. Invoice Belichick’s Patriots might afford having a participant like Uche, as a result of they may use their massive, burly defensive linemen on early downs to cease the run. Then Uche might be used of their inventive strain packages.
Early on, Uche was very impactful on this position. In 2022 — a profession 12 months — he completed with 56 pressures and 12 sacks on solely 285 pass-rushing snaps. Amongst low-usage gamers, he was one of many league’s most effective go rushers.
Josh Uche, 2020-2024
Yr PassReps Prss Scks Hits Hurr PrssPct SckPct PFFWinPct
2020 99 14 1 6 7 14.1% 1.0% 18.5%
2021 161 17 3 3 11 10.6% 1.9% 13.4%
2022 285 56 12 3 41 19.7% 4.2% 19.2%
2023 227 37 3 6 28 16.3% 1.3% 11.1%
2024 96 13 2 2 9 13.5% 2.1% 17.2%
Complete 868 137 21 20 96 15.8% 2.4% –
All information from Professional Soccer Focus
However as we see right here, his manufacturing has tapered off since then. He was stable in 2023 with 37 pressures however had simply three sacks; he made fewer splash performs. Then this season — with Belichick gone — Uche has been struggling to discover a position within the New England protection. He has collected first rate numbers — 13 pressures and two sacks over simply 96 pass-rushing snaps — nevertheless it seems he doesn’t determine within the crew’s plans. So it made sense for the Patriots to gather a decide for him.
And it made sense for Kansas Metropolis to make the commerce. Giving up a 2026 sixth-round decide for a participant with pass-rushing movie like Uche’s is a discount. Yearly, we see the worth of getting as many go rushers as attainable. For a crew within the Chiefs’ place, these sorts of gamers are price having round — even when they solely get one or two key pressures within the playoffs. Uche can try this.
Even higher: there’s no motive Kansas Metropolis couldn’t hold him after 2024. Uche most likely received’t have a major market in free company, so the Chiefs might hold him on a cheap contract. All in all, I feel getting him was an ideal transfer.
Right here’s essentially the most intriguing query: what does this signing imply for the crew’s different defensive ends — significantly now that we’re getting nearer to Charles Omenihu’s return to the energetic roster?
We all know that Uche received’t play on working downs. The Chiefs have loads of different choices accessible. Omenihu, George Karlaftis, Mike Danna, Malik Herring and even Leo Chenal can try this. Simply as together with his earlier groups, Uche shall be used virtually completely as a chosen go rusher.
When Uche is available in on a key third down, we all know Chris Jones shall be on the sector — however not essentially the place he shall be. The famous person defensive deal with has perfected the flexibility to seek out the line of defense’s weakest spot — whether or not it’s on the within or the skin — and assault it. Kansas Metropolis can permit this as a result of they’ve gamers like Danna, Karlaftis and Omenihu — all of whom may rush from the within.
So when Uche is available in, he’ll at all times be the opposite edge rusher, getting upfield and forcing gamers into Jones. What’s going to that imply for the opposite rushers — particularly when Jones is enjoying on the skin? If the Chiefs use Tershawn Wharton as one of many go rushers, it signifies that solely one in every of Karlaftis, Danna or Omenihu can be on the sector. Can Uche be ok to justify having these gamers on the bench on a 3rd down?
To me, that is essentially the most related with regard to Karlaftis — who isn’t a foul inside go rusher however is considerably extra impactful on the sting. If Jones and Uche are on the skin, can Karlaftis present extra on the within? Or will we see Omenihu or Danna slide into these spots, giving Karlaftis a breather?
However I’ll be trustworthy: none of this actually considerations me. Defensive position coach Joe Cullen and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo are going to determine it out. Apart from, I’m at all times on the aspect of getting as many go rushers as attainable — particularly one with a skillset that not one of the crew’s different gamers possesses. I’m intrigued to see how Kansas Metropolis will match all these gamers collectively — and the way utilizing one like Uche might unlock the Chiefs’ defensive entrance.
