NEWSLETTER
Now that things have settled after that first flurry of moves, it feels like a good time to settle in for some night reading.
With that in mind, the latest from the Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs does a fine job setting the scene and capturing where the Chicago Bears are in this current moment. Among the topics Biggs touches on is where the Bears are in terms of addressing needs along the defensive line. There are anecdotes about potential defensive end target Danielle Hunter, Khalil Mack, and Joey Bosa — three high-profile pass rushers are (in the case of Hunter) or could (in the case of Mack and Bosa) available.
However, I found this to be the most interesting note from Biggs’ piece:
One possible fit could be Josh Uche of the New England Patriots. He would fit the role of a nickel pass rusher. He has 18 1/2 career sacks in four seasons with 11 1/2 coming in 2022.
Seeing a new name show up on our radar has me doing some digging. Let’s learn about Josh Uche together.
Who is Josh Uche and could he be a Bears free agency target at defensive end?
Uche is a 25-year-old edge defender who has played more as an outside linebacker in the New England Patriots defensive scheme. A second-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Uche has 18.5 sacks, 17.5 tackles-for-loss, and 31 quarterback hits in 51 games over the last four seasons. Uche’s best work came during a break-out 2022 campaign. In that season, Uche racked up 11.5 sacks, 9 tackles-for-loss, and 14 quarterback hits. I imagine that he would’ve been a highly sought-after player had he hit free agency last year. But he didn’t. Timing can be a cruel part of life.
Instead, Uche is hitting the open market after a year in which he tallied 3 sacks, 3 tackles-for-loss, and 6 QB hits in 15 games. Maybe this is an opportunity for the Bears to snag a buy-low value deal on a player who’s shown flashes. For what it’s worth, Pro Football Focus projects Uche to get a one-year deal worth $7.25 million with $6.25 million worth of guarantees. And this snippet from PFF’s free agency profile piques my interest:
Uche is a pure designated pass-rusher who can be deployed on late downs to pin his ears back and get home for timely pressures and sacks, which is still valuable. A one year flier to boost his stock back up may be the best route at this juncture.
The Bryce Huff name-check had me raising my eyebrows in a most cartoonish fashion. Huff’s breakout 2023 is similar to Uche’s breakthrough season in 2022. But Huff’s came just as he was hitting free agency. What if the Bears could get a similar season to Uche’s 2022 in 2024. Putting him in a new situation with a defensive-leaning head coach (Matt Eberflus) and a defensive coordinator (Eric Washington) whose expertise is with working on developing defensive linemen could create a win-win situation for both sides if the interest is mutual and they strike a deal. Let’s keep an eye on this one (and other possible one-year fits).
Search Josh Uche’s name on Twitter and you’ll see a whole bunch of his highlights from his 2022 season. They’re enticing, to be sure. At first glance, Uche fits the bill as the type of player Bears GM Ryan Poles would target in free agency. He is young, has played at a high level, probably has some untapped potential, and could come at a bargain price. The Bears should be leveraging the Tez Effect, point to the contract Justin Jones got from the Arizona Cardinals, and tell free agents that they could be next if they can sign in Chicago and take advantage of playing opposite of Montez Sweat on this defense.
There was a belief at the start of the day that the Bears would be aggressive in addressing their needs throughout the roster. But, as of this posting, we’re about 11 hours into the “legal tampering” period of NFL free agency and the only reported contract on the horizon for Chicago’s football team is the one going to running back D’Andre Swift.
Maybe we’ll get some more movement tomorrow. I’ve always found that I’m productive the morning after a good night of sleep after a hectic day.
