New England Patriots: 5 players with the most to prove in the 2022 season
New England Patriots player with most to prove No. 3: Josh Uche
At this time last year, Josh Uche was a top candidate for a breakout campaign in 2021. Instead, he ended up putting together his second straight underwhelming season, setting the stage for what figures to be a pivotal season for the former Michigan linebacker.
Uche was superb throughout OTAs, minicamp, and training camp, but once the games rolled around he was nowhere to be found. He played sparingly over 12 games, picking up three sacks along the way, but he was quickly boxed out of a starting role on New England’s defense by Matthew Judon and Kyle Van Noy.
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The good news for Uche is that the Pats linebacker corps is significantly different than it was last season. Van Noy, Dont’a Hightower, and Jamie Collins are all gone, and their snaps are going to be up for grabs. Uche should have an inside track to earn a spot across from Judon as one of the team’s top pass rushers.
Uche is going to have to prove he belongs in the NFL this season. After mixing injuries and poor play over his first two seasons, Uche has a starting job right in front of him as long as he can go out and perform. He’s shown flashes of his talent before, but this feels like a make-or-break season for the second-round pick to prove he has what it takes to stick in the NFL.