Kansas City Chiefs And New England Patriots They recently came together for a trade that sent forward running back Josh Uche to Kansas City. The rich look set to get richer here as the undefeated Chiefs look forward to a potential Super Bowl three-peat, satisfying their need for more rushing juice. FanSided’s Zachary Rotman recently dug deeper into this trade: Graded A- for Chiefs and C for Patriots.

“Recently, the Chiefs and Patriots faced off in the AFC Championship Game.” Rotman wrote. “Now, at a time when the Patriots are in an apparent rebuilding process and the Chiefs are preparing for what they hope will result in their third consecutive Super Bowl win, the Patriots have traded Uche to their former AFC rivals.”

Because Uche had struggled the last two seasons, the Patriots decided to let him go. But remember, just two years ago he recorded an 11.5 sack season for New England. If he returns to form and is brought back to Kansas City in 2025, it will put a huge checkmark for the Chiefs moving forward, with several players left off the roster as a result.

The first person to feel the impact of this signing will be outside linebacker Jack Cochrane, who sits at the bottom of the depth chart.

Cochrane, 25, played a total of 39 games for the Chiefs during his three years with the team. During that span, he recorded 39 tackles, no sacks, no interceptions, no fumble recoveries, no forced fumbles, and a single pass defensed. He’s on the roster as a depth player, but he doesn’t have the playmaking ability that would make him the type of player Kansas City would want to put on the floor consistently.

Cochrane is also in the final year of his contract. He’s set to hit free agency this summer, and it’s unlikely Kansas City will bring him back. It’s even less likely if they decide to re-sign Uche in the offseason.

As part of the football business, when a team makes a trade for a player, the position group added will feel the effects of that trade. The player who will feel that impact for the Chiefs both this year and in the offseason is Cochrane. Even though Uche is a pass rusher and Cochrane is an off-ball defender, this trade still has a direct impact on him.

The Chiefs brought in Carson Wentz as their backup QB this year, but (thankfully) they haven’t needed to assign him to this point. Wentz is making a few million dollars off the bench in Kansas City. However, he still has a one-year contract, so come the summer window he will be free to sign wherever he wants towards 2025.

Considering the current state of the NFL and its quarterbacks, there’s a world where Wentz could find a spot that gives him the opportunity to fight for the starting spot. At worst, Wentz will find a spot that will give him $3 million to $5 million for the 2025 season, along with a few incentive bonuses, if he can win a starting job and play.

But Kansas City is unlikely to spend a lot of money on a backup quarterback. If Uche starts to look like the player he is in 2022, the Chiefs can’t afford to give Wentz $5 million to return in 2025. This won’t be a big deal for Kansas City because this is their season. It would be a waste if Patrick Mahomes gets injured either way. We will probably part ways this season.

The Kansas City Chiefs hired Hopkins to expand their wide receiver area after multiple injuries plagued the group. Rashee Rice and Hollywood Brown are set to miss the season, and Hopkins is the player tasked with replacing the Chiefs as Mahomes’ first target on the outside.

But wide receivers are expensive. Hopkins is no exception, even at 32 years old, and will hit the free agent market this summer. With multiple teams likely to bid for his services, there’s almost no chance the Chiefs will spend the money needed to bring him back; especially if they are going to remain loyal to Uche. If Uche returns to his old form, he too will be looking at a decent-sized deal. Combine that with some of the other signings the Chiefs need to make, and it’s very unlikely Hopkins will be brought back in 2025.

Hopkins caught two passes for 29 yards in his Chiefs debut. These numbers will increase as he gains confidence and comfort in Andy Reid’s offense. If Hopkins can improve his production by the end of the year, he’ll be in for a pretty good payday this summer, even if he’s not as strong as he once was.