As injuries accumulate across nearly every NFL team, many are turning to the trade market for help, with the New England Patriots at the center.
The Detroit Lions are among the teams seeking a potential roster addition, focusing on edge rushers after Aidan Hutchinson’s serious leg injury.
With Hutchinson on injured reserve, the Lions are monitoring several key players, including Patriots’ Joshua Uche, as per ESPN. Besides Uche, Detroit is also considering veterans Haason Reddick and Za’Darius Smith for a major acquisition.
Uche, in his fifth year, was a second-round pick and has two sacks in six games in 2024. He posted a career-high 11.5 sacks in 2022. If traded to the Lions, Uche would return to Michigan, where he played college football for the Wolverines.
Currently, the Lions’ depth chart includes James Houston and Josh Pascal at edge rusher, with Hutchinson and Marcus Davenport on injured reserve. ESPN also noted that the team expects contributions from Isaiah Thomas, recently signed from the Cincinnati Bengals’ practice squad.
Patriots lose sixth straight game in London
While the Patriots remain active in trade talks, their on-field struggles persist. An overseas trip didn’t help, as they dropped their sixth straight game to the Jacksonville Jaguars in London.
Drake Maye posted another solid performance despite falling to 0-2 in his career, with 272 passing yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions. His main target, DeMario Douglas, exited the game at halftime due to illness.
For the second game in a row, Maye received no support from the team’s ineffective running game. Rhamondre Stevenson managed just 18 yards on seven carries, while backup Antonio Gibson added only four yards on three attempts. Maye led the team in rushing with 18 yards.
The Patriots were overpowered by Tank Bigsby, who had 26 carries for 188 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Trevor Lawrence contributed 193 passing yards but wasn’t needed much in the Jaguars’ 32-16 victory.
