13 players Bill Belichick, New England Patriots need to make leaps in 2022
No. 3: Josh Uche needs a defined role in New England Patriots defense
Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots are putting emphasis on more speed on defense and some of that speed is already on the team.
Can third-year linebacker Josh Uche finally pop on the field and have a breakout season?
The Patriots seem to be relying on the Michigan product and the other young linebackers mentioned previously to make leaps in 2022. How else can you explain the team passing on linebackers early in the 2022 NFL Draft? How else do you explain the team’s lack of activity when it comes to adding players at the position?
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Aside from acquiring Mack Wilson in a trade for Chase Winovich, there is nothing to get too excited about at the linebacker position, especially when the team will be without veteran linebackers Kyle Van Noy, Dont’a Hightower and Jamie Collins.
That does leave Uche in an interesting role in his third season in the NFL. After showing glimpses of that edge rush ability that made him so intriguing coming out of Michigan, it is time for more snaps and it will be time for him to take advantage of the huge opportunity ahead of him, especially once Belichick and the Patriots’ defense define his role on the team, which the Patriots head coach put emphasis on back during his rookie season.
"“We’ll be able to define his role and his situation much better next year – after a year of experience with him,” Belichick said two seasons ago, via the Providence Journal. “Looking forward to that, but he’s definitely going to be an asset for us. If he continues to work and improve, he’s got a good future.”"
Uche rarely saw the field in 2021, but another year under his belt learning from Belichick could finally turn into results on the field on a consistent basis in 2022. The New England Patriots defense desperately needs him to be a factor. He has the combination of size, speed, power and versatility to do just that.