With Jerod Mayo and Eliot Wolf running things in Foxboro, the New England Patriots put forth a concerted effort this offseason to retain their own talent.
And, while a number of players received huge extensions in recent months, New England was able to retain one player on a team-friendly deal - linebacker Joshua Uche.
Uche, 25, re-signed with the Patriots this offseason on a one-year deal worth just $3 million (up to $8 million with incentives). That deal is now being considered the team's best contract, according to Pro Football Network.
Here's what PFN's Dallas Robinson had to say about Uche's deal:
"Yes, Uche is a designated pass rusher who’s never played more than a third of New England’s defensive snaps in a season. But the delta between Uche (who re-upped for just $3 million) and Bryce Huff — another edge defender who sees limited snaps but received a $17 million AAV from the Eagles this offseason — isn’t as wide as the gap between their salaries.
Uche finished first in PFF’s pass-rushing productivity in 2022 while posting 11.5 sacks. He won’t turn 26 years old until September. The limitations are obvious, but the price point doesn’t make sense."
Last season, without Matthew Judon playing for a majority of the season, Uche didn't see a spike in his snap count or his sack total. If he can get on the field more and be more productive in 2024, he'll likely land a big deal next offseason that will pay him much more than $3 million.
