Patriots keep linebacker Josh Uche in the fold on reported 1-year, $3 million contract

Josh Uche recorded three sacks in the final year of his rookie contract.

Impending free agent Josh Uche will remain off the edges in Foxborough.

The New England Patriots have agreed to terms with the outside linebacker on a one-year deal, as first reported Tuesday by NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport.

According to TheMMQB’s Albert Breer, the team-friendly pact carries a base value of $3 million with incentives up to a max value of $8 million.

Uche, 25, notched two starts and three sacks in the final year of his rookie contract with the organization. The 6-foot-3, 240-pound Michigan product appeared in 15 games and had a hand in 15 total tackles. He saw 29 percent of the snaps on defense and 13 percent of the snaps on special teams.

Over that sub-rushing sample size, Pro Football Focus charted him for 38 combined quarterback pressures.

Entering the league in the second round of the 2020 draft at No. 60 overall, Uche stands 18.5 sacks into his Patriots tenure. While forcing a pair of fumbles in 2022, he set a career-high with 11.5 sacks in tandem with perennial Pro Bowl teammate Matthew Judon’s career-high 15.5.

The NFL’s legal tampering period opened Monday at 12 p.m. ET. The new league year officially begins Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET.