Josh Uche on taking less money to re-sign with Patriots: 'I think the future is bright'

Patriots pass rusher Josh Uche turned down a chance to make more money in free agency to return to New England.

The 25-year-old pass rusher explained his decision in a video released by the club on Thursday.

“The Patriots were the organization that gave me a chance in the NFL,” Uche said. “It’s like family. It feels like home, and there’s nowhere else I’d rather be than home. So I think that was my main reason — loyalty, family and love.

“Coach (Jerod) Mayo is developing a lot of tough young men, and I feel like it’s something I just want to continue to be a part of. I think it’s just going to be great. I think the future is bright. I’m just happy to be home and get back to doing what I do best.”

NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported earlier this week that Uche had several offers, including one worth $15 million over two years, with $11 million fully guaranteed, but chose to remain in New England on a one-year, $3 million contract.

It’s rare that a player will give up guaranteed dollars to remain with a club. The decision speaks to the confidence Mayo has already built with the players in New England.

Coming off a down season in which he had three sacks in 15 games, Uche is taking a calculated risk that he could see more money in free agency next year with a big campaign under Mayo.

Uche has three or fewer sacks in three of his four seasons with New England since he was a second-round pick in 2020. His 11.5-sack 2022 campaign looks like an extreme outlier. If he can prove it wasn’t, money could flow in next season.

In four seasons under Bill Belichick, Uche started just three games, including two in 2023. Last season, he never played more than 50% of the snaps in any game — most times hovering around the 35-40% range. We’ll see if Mayo and new defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington have bigger designs for Uche in 2024, which could help explain the decision to take less guaranteed money.