The New England Patriots are set to begin their voluntary offseason program on April 17, and linebacker Josh Uche is already in town, according to ESPN’s Mike Reiss.
Uche is coming off one of the most productive seasons of his career. He had 11.5 sacks in the 2022 season, establishing himself as a dominant pass-rusher next to Matthew Judon. Uche had 19.5 sacks in his entire four-year career at Michigan.
So the pass-rushing output was a welcome development.
The linebacker is also entering a big season from a personal standpoint. Another season like last year would make him a coveted pass-rusher on the free agent market, as his contract is set to expire after the 2023 season.
Uche was one of the bright spots for New England defensively in what was a solid year for the unit overall. His pass-rushing prowess will be needed again, with New England having one of the hardest schedules in the NFL.
