The Kansas City Chiefs have added a new member to their defensive line. And that’s a smart move on their part as they get ready for some tough games ahead. The undefeated squad this season has brought in Joshua Uche, and he’s ready to make his debut as a defensive end. The 26-year-old defensive end was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs earlier this week. Before that, he played three seasons with the New England Patriots.

The Chiefs made an official announcement on their X handle, giving a warm welcome to Joshua. The former Patriots defensive end shared his excitement about joining the Chiefs. “I’m playing with Patrick Mahomes, Chris Jones, Andy Reid, Travis Kelce. I’m playing with some of the best in the league.” We totally get his excitement. Playing for a team that’s dominating this season is definitely a big deal.

“We’ve had the benefit of having played against him,” said Andy Reid. Pointing out the importance of having a solid defense. The HC further opined: “We know he’s very aggressive, good pass-rusher, good all-around player, he’ll start working in there today and getting used to what we do.” Whether the latest addition to the team will play in Week 9 against the Bucs is still unclear, but he’s ready to roll with his new team.

There’s been a lot of chatter about Uche being on the trading block for quite some time. The Chiefs have been eyeing him since the 2020 NFL Draft, so they’ve been keeping a close watch on him ever since. He’s having a pretty solid season so far, with him racking up 10 solo tackles and two sacks. Uche participated in the practice session on Thursday with Chiefs.

For now, he’s just hoping to get the thumbs up to play in the upcoming game against the Bucs.

Why did the Patriots trade Joshua Uche?

After three years with the Patriots, it must have been tough for him to find out he was on the trade block. It stings to be moved on from a team you’ve been with for so long. This feels like a pretty sad ending for both Joshua and the Patriots.

The decision most likely came after the inconsistent performance over the last two seasons. Even though Uche is a promising player, he had a bit of a rough season last year. He really shined in 2022 with 11.5 sacks, but lately, his contributions to the team have been pretty limited, especially last season.

The DE didn’t get much time on the field, especially with the team switching up their defensive strategies. This trade opened up new chances for both him and the Patriots. Allowing the Patriots to better manage their salary cap and roster while giving Joshua the opportunity to find what he needs. A win-win for everyone!