The Philadelphia Eagles are fresh off winning Super Bowl LIX, but you wouldn’t have been able to tell based off of their offseason work. The front office, led by general manager Howie Roseman, has once again been busy revamping their roster, and it looks like they are primed to be a top Super Bowl contender once again. One of their more underrated moves saw them scoop up linebacker Josh Uche on a one-year deal in free agency.
With Philadelphia losing several key defenders this offseason, that made it imperative for the team to scoop up some bargain bin players in free agency. Uche certainly didn’t cost much, as he signed for $1.92 million, and he appears to be the perfect player for the Eagles aggressive defensive scheme, which resulted in him being labeled “underrated” ahead of his first season with his new squad.
Eagles Hoping Josh Uche can Find his Form in 2025
Uche was initially selected in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft by the New England Patriots, but he never really became anything more than a pass-rush specialist for them. He still showed off his potential at times, and he was a beast in 2022, as he racked up a career-high 11.5 sacks in what appeared at the time to be his breakout campaign.
Uche ultimately took a step back in 2023 before surprisingly re-signed with the Patriots on a cheap deal one-year deal in free agency. Uche bet on himself, but it didn’t work out in his favor, as he got traded to the Kansas City Chiefs midway through the season in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round pick.
The Chiefs flier on Uche proved to be a waste, as he failed to record a sack and didn’t even suit up for them during the postseason. Philadelphia is hoping Uche can find his 2022 form, and sticking him in their loaded front seven could accomplish that goal. That’s why Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports believes that Uche could be an underrated contributor in the Eagles defense.
“If any club can accentuate pass-rushing skill, it’s the Eagles,” Trapasso wrote. “And after losing Josh Sweat and Milton Williams in free agency — along with now being two years removed from Haason Reddick’s presence along the defensive line, the Eagles have some job openings in their second and third waves.”
Josh Uche Will Have Opportunity to Thrive with Eagles
GettyEagles linebacker Josh Uche could thrive with his new team in 2025
While Philly has largely shored up their front seven, there are gaps that they are hoping will be filled during training camp, and if all goes according to plan, Uche will plug one of those holes. When used strictly as a situational pass-rusher, Uche has had success, and the Eagles have the personnel in place to use him in that role without putting too much else on their plate.
Even if it doesn’t work out, Philadelphia hasn’t invested much in Uche, so they can move on from him without suffering much financially if he struggles. However, these sorts of under-the-radar moves have panned out for the Eagles in the past, and Uche could end up becoming their latest success story.
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