3 Patriots on the Chopping Block Next After Josh Uche Trade
By Jovan Alford
Even though the New England Patriots snapped their six-game losing streak with a win over the New York Jets on Sunday that didn’t stop them from making a move ahead of next week’s trade deadline.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Kansas City Chiefs have acquired linebacker Josh Uche from the New England Patriots. Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reports that the Chiefs will send a 2026 sixth-round pick to the Patriots.
Another Chiefs trade: Kansas City is acquiring LB Josh Uche from the Patriots, per sources. Uche is the Patriots 2020 second-round pick from Michigan who now will go from New England to Kansas City.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 28, 2024
It's a 6th rounder in 2026 going to the Patriots. https://t.co/eseVDmCE8G
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 28, 2024
The former second-round pick was a healthy scratch ahead of Sunday’s game against the Jets as his name was floated around in trade rumors.
With Uche heading to Kansas City, Patriots fans are likely wondering who could be traded next. New England doesn’t have many standout players that will net them a high draft pick, but they are coveted by other teams who are contenders and looking to fill a void.
Below, we’ll highlight three Patriots who are on the chopping block next after the Uche trade to the back-to-back Super Bowl champs.
1. K.J. Osborn, WR
With Uche on his way to Kansas City, the Patriots will likely try to find a new home for veteran wide receiver K.J. Osborn.
The 27-year-old wideout hasn’t done much with the Pats after being signed to a one-year, $4 million deal in the offseason. Osborn has recorded seven receptions (17 targets) for 57 yards and a touchdown.
The veteran receiver scored his first touchdown in Week 7 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but only played a season-low 13 percent of offensive snaps in Sunday’s matchup against the Jets.
It’s been a frustrating season for Osborn, who showed he could be a solid WR3 in Minnesota with the Vikings. However, he hasn’t been able to translate that success to New England. The veteran receiver has been surpassed by young receivers on the roster (Kashon Boutte, Demario Douglas, and Ja’Lynn Polk), which is never a good sign.
With Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk out for the season, the Patriots might be able to find a WR-needy team to take a flier on Osborn. He’s scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent, making him the perfect low-risk, high-reward midseason pickup. New England would love to get a Day 3 pick in return for Osborn.