Although the Philadelphia Eagles saw an exodus of multiple key players like defensive end Milton Williams during the offseason, one newcomer has stood out in the first two games and appears ready for some additional playing time on a defense that has not had the smoothest start to the season.
Linebacker Josh Uche, who played for the New England Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs last season, has impressed through two games. According to PFF, Uche's overall grade of 93.9 is first among all edge defenders, while his pass rush grade (91.6) and run defense grade (77.8) are first and fifth, respectively.
Josh Uche Has Been a Bright Spot for Eagles Defense So Far
The Eagles gave up 307 yards and did not record a single sack in their Week 1 win over the Dallas Cowboys. While they had two sacks against the Chiefs on Sunday, the secondary struggled in the fourth quarter, leading to multiple wide-open receivers for QB Patrick Mahomes as time wound down.
Uche logged four total tackles against the Chiefs, two of which were solo tackles. He also played 16 snaps on an Eagles defense that certainly improved upon its Week 1 inability to create pressure. Recently signed edge rusher Za'Darius Smith is already looking like a steal, logging an impressive stat line on Sunday that included a half sack on Mahomes.
Uche is currently playing on a one-year deal with Philadelphia, but is one of 20 new faces on its 53-man roster that still includes veterans on both sides of the ball. He was one of the most talented players on the 2023 New England roster, a team that was trying to respond after a disappointing 8-9 season after making the playoffs the previous season.
That experience playing for a team that was not expected to be a contender proved to him that you can never count any opponent out and should treat each team the same, regardless of the expectations. Now a part of the Eagles organization, coming off a Super Bowl triumph and ready to get everyone's best shot, Uche has excelled despite not having a starting role.
Nolan Smith Jr., All-Pro Zack Baun, rookie Jihaad Campbell, and Jalyx Hunt are currently listed as starters while Uche is a second-stringer. That may be the case now, but don't expect that to remain the case, especially if he continues to take advantage of the limited snaps he has been getting.
With struggles getting to the QB in Week 1 and secondary issues persisting in Week 2, Uche could be an extra pass-rusher or drop into coverage and make an impact if his previous two appearances are any indication. The Eagles are 2-0, but they definitely need another spark on defense to step up and make some plays when called upon.
Uche has the experience and has already proven this season how impactful he can be in a limited role. There is no reason he should not get some additional snaps based on his performance up to this point.