FOXBORO — Josh Uche understands the game outside the game.
Whether he plays in New England past this season, a contract year for the talented 24-year-old pass rusher, is closely tied to his performance on the football field. But not entirely.
The Patriots’ ongoing negotiations with his agents will be impacted by several factors: his contract demands, the team’s interest, how pass rushers of his age and caliber are being paid across the league, salary cap projections, the opportunity cost of signing Uche to a large contract for the team, potential replacements for him on the roster, how the front office projects he’ll play in upcoming years, what Uche believes he’ll do and which side can best flex
So, with all of that in mind, Uche is choosing to keep a clear head. The business game? His agents can handle that. Football is the only game he wants to play.
“I just let (my agents) handle all the little stuff and just come out here and work each day,” Uche said after Thursday’s training camp practice.
Last season, Uche tallied 11.5 sacks and two forced fumbles in a breakout season that coincided with impressive campaigns by fellow 2020 draft picks Kyle Dugger and offensive lineman Mike Onwenu. Dugger and Onwenu are also entering contract years. Another 2022 breakout star, linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley, has already received a new deal, agreeing to a two-year extension in June.
According to a source, Bentley made it clear he wanted to remain in New England. The sides found a middle ground that’s likely to resemble a team-friendly deal by the time it expires or perhaps even earlier. It was important to Bentley to continue what he sees as the Patriots’ defensive legacy.
Asked whether he’d like to do so Thursday, Uche said he did.
“This is the team that developed me into the player I’ve become,” he said. “This is the place I’ve called home the last four years. I’m comfortable. I know the area, I’ve got family out here, and I love it out here. And I’ve been able to make myself at home. And I would love to be here.”
However, Uche doesn’t sound quite as ready to make financial concessions in order to stay long-term. He’ll go where he’s wanted, as he repeatedly told reporters Thursday. Whether that’s with the Patriots – who may have drafted his replacement last April in second-round rookie Keion White – or another team has yet to be determined.
Wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster has been impressed with his new quarterback, Mac Jones, early in his Patriots tenure. And the wideout has a pretty high baseline of comparison.
Smith-Schuster caught passes from two-time Super Bowl champion Ben Roethlisberger for the first five seasons of his NFL career. He won his own Super Bowl with quarterback Patrick Mahomes on the Kansas City Chiefs.
So, when Smith-Schuster starts tossing around comparisons involving Jones, it’s worth listening.
“The guy’s just super intelligent and like his work ethic is — it’s the best,” Smith-Schuster said Thursday after Day 2 of training camp. “I’ve seen a lot of guys work, coming into the office early, put in the work, and he’s one of those guys.”
We found out Wednesday afternoon through Jones that his relationship with head coach Bill Belichick is “good.” Belichick confirmed that in his own way Thursday morning.
“Yeah, again, I’m good with all of the players who are on the team,” Belichick said before Day 2 of training camp. “Absolutely.”
Jones said he and Belichick agreed to a fresh start this season after a disappointing 2022 campaign for the young quarterback. That’s one piece of information the longtime head coach will not confirm Thursday.
“Yeah, I’ll keep all of my conversations with the players private for the sake of the players,” Belichick said.
Jones had one of the most efficient seasons for a rookie quarterback in NFL history in 2021 before declining in 2022 under the offensive leadership of Matt Patricia and Joe Judge, who replaced departing offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. Patricia is now a defensive assistant with the Philadelphia Eagles and Judge is the Patriots’ assistant head coach with a focus on special teams. The Patriots brought back Bill O’Brien as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, and the hope is Jones will have a resurgence under new coaching.
The first defensive play from the Patriots on Day 2 of training camp came from Belichick.
Belichick was asked Thursday morning about a report from ESPN that free-agent running back Dalvin Cook is “in talks with the Patriots about setting up a possible visit to New England.”
“Yeah, no, I’m not going to talk about players that are not on our team,” Belichick said. “It’s a long-standing policy that I’ll continue to stick with.”
Cook reportedly is visiting the New York Jets this week.
Belichick wouldn’t talk Cook, but Patriots director of player personnel Matt Groh did discuss the free-agent running back’s situation Wednesday.
Cook is a four-time Pro Bowl selection, and New England has been looking at running back depth since cutting James Robinson in the spring. Pierre Strong, Ty Montgomery, Kevin Harris and J.J. Taylor are backing up starter Rhamondre Stevenson.
Cook carried the ball 264 times for 1,173 yards with eight touchdowns last season. He has 1,282 carries for 5,993 yards with 47 touchdowns in six seasons with the Minnesota Vikings. He was released last month for salary-cap purposes.
An ex-girlfriend of Cook, Gracelyn Trimble, sued the running back in November 2021, alleging him of assault, battery and false imprisonment. Cook filed a counterclaim against Trimble alleging her of defamation. The civil case is ongoing.
Patriots defensive tackle Lawrence Guy is present for training camp, which is an upgrade from his minicamp status.
But it seems the issues that kept Guy out of mandatory minicamp aren’t quite resolved. Guy’s absence was believed to be a contract issue, ESPN reported in June.
“Me and my agent have been in discussions with this organization and we’re gonna keep that private between us,” Guy said Thursday after Day 2 of training camp.
Guy said he welcomed a child around minicamp and “we had things we had to deal with.”
“We’re big on family, and we had to handle certain things,” Guys said. “We’re going to leave it at that.”
Guy wouldn’t say whether his presence at training camp meant that he was confident that his contract would be amended. The 6-foot-4, 315-pound defensive tackle still has two years and $6 million left on his deal.
“I’m here. A big smile on my face,” Guy said. “I’m going to do whatever I can for the organization. I’ll work as hard as I can. That’s why we play this game — to be out on this field. To be a brotherhood.”