Source: Patriots re-signing OLB Josh Uche to one-year contract

The Patriots are re-signing OLB Josh Uche to a one-year contract, a source confirmed to the Herald.

It’s a one-year deal worth $3 million with a max value of $8 million, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported.

NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo reported that “The 2020 second-round pick had much more on the table elsewhere but returns to Foxboro.”

Uche was motivated to return to the Patriots, a source said.

Uche had a breakout season for the Patriots in 2023 with 11.5 sacks and 14 QB hits. His productivity dropped off last season when he registered three sacks and six QB hits. He played 15 games in each of his last two seasons.

The 2020 second-round pick had previously expressed his desire to play for new Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo.

Uche, who’s 6-foot-3, 240 pounds, has primarily been used as a situation pass rusher during his NFL career. He’s played 1,124 defensive snaps in four seasons, and only 191 of those gave come against the run.

Uche’s $3 million base deal seems low for a player who looked like a premier pass rusher in 2022, but the fear that he was a one-year wonder might have scared off his market.