The Kansas City Chiefs acquired linebacker Josh Uche from the New England Patriots for a sixth-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Monday, plugging a rare hole in one of the best defenses in the the league.
Uche will replace tight end Jody Fortson, whose name will be placed on the injured list due to a knee injury.
Uche was a second-round pick of the Patriots in the 2020 draft, and he has 20 and a half sacks in five campaigns, including two in the first seven games of this season. His best campaign was in 2022, when he recorded 11 1/2 sacks and forced two fumbles in 15 games.
He will expand a defense that already has George Karlaftis, Mike Danna and Felix Anudike-Uzomah, and which can apply pressure from the center thanks to tackle Chris Jones. Charles Omenihu is expected to return soon after tearing his ACL, which kept him out last season, and his arrival should make the Chiefs’ aerial defense even more voracious.
This is the second major transaction the Chiefs have made in less than a week. They acquired star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who caught two passes for 29 yards in Sunday’s 27-20 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, for a conditional fifth-round pick from the Tennessee Titans this week. last.
