During this offseason, the New England Patriots had a number of ascending players hitting the market with the potential to sign large deals.
New England had a ton of cap space, so they could match any offer they wanted, but a few players, like linebacker Joshua Uche, returned on team-friendly contracts.
For the first time since agreeing to his one-year deal worth up to $8 million, spoke to the media on Tuesday and shared that, while he had received better offers from other teams, he always wanted to be back in New England.
“There were some options on the table, but in my heart, I felt that I was destined to be a Patriot," Uche said (transcribed by MassLive). "Despite what I was offered, I felt like this was my calling to be a Patriot,” Uche said. “I felt like it’s what I was destined to do. It’s where I went to be. I don’t want to be anywhere else. So, gotta do what you gotta do – follow your heart.”
NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported back when Uche signed the deal that he received a two-year, $15 million offer, but he turned it down to come back to the team that drafted him.
“It was interesting," Uche said. "I had a lot of people calling me crazy. A lot of people focus on the financial parts of the decision. But I feel like the team that gave me an opportunity, there’s nowhere else I’d rather be. I can’t envision myself playing for another team. However that shakes out, I just know at the end of the day, the ball was in my court, and this is the dream that I want to fulfill – to be a Patriot.”
With a new defensive coordinator (DeMarcus Covington) and a new head coach (Jerod Mayo) leading things for New England in 2024, Uche has a chance to explode this year. He possesses the talent to be a double-digit sack linebacker annually. He just needs to stay healthy and be given the opportunity to rush the quarterback consistently.
