In 2025, the Philadelphia Eagles loaded up on veteran free agents on low-priced contracts in order to bolster their depth now and potentially stumble on a Zack Baun-level contributor for the future.
On paper, this strategy is solid enough, as the Eagles had most of their starters squared away but needed some depth to bolster their future. With that being said, Howie Roseman did his research heading into free agency and was able to land a few potential steals who could play above their pay grade this fall, including Josh Uche, who the veteran GM had eyes on last spring before he re-signed with New England.
Discussing his team’s free agency moves in Palm Beach at the NFL meetings, Roseman noted he reached out about Uche’s availability last spring and kept him in mind this season as a result.
“This is a guy that we’ve had our eye on for some time. We were interested in him as a free agent last year, and he decided to go back to New England,” Roseman said via Rabadi. “At the trade deadline, he was traded, and we had some interest there at that time, too, but felt we had a good rotation going with the edge group. Joshua is a talented guy with a great work ethic who has shown the ability to get to the quarterback.”
Landing on a deal just barely over the veteran minimum at $1.92 million, Uche isn’t even the most exciting edge rusher added to the roster in the eyes of most Eagles fans, with Azeez Ojulari considered a more interesting player because of his sack totals and Georgia connection. But to Roseman’s credit, Uche is interesting, too, as he has a double-digit sack season in a 3-4 defensive scheme and can do more than just rush the passer.
If Uche ends up being the player who fills Josh Sweat’s shoes and plays 70 percent of the team’s defensive snaps in any given game, no one will really complain that it wasn’t Ojulari, as in the end, the Eagles need a starter opposite Nolan Smith long-term and fans will accept any worthy partner in crime.
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