Add another free agent to the list that won’t have to move or learn any new teammates’ names.

Before the official start of free agency and the new league year on Wednesday, the Patriots have clearly put a focus on retaining some key locker room guys that have also showed promise and a willingness to be here at the start of a new era.

Jeremy Fowler had it first. It’s a one-year deal with $3 million. Or in other words, a ‘prove it’ deal that he’s worth a bigger commitment next offseason. There were also various reports that he turned down better offers to stick around.

Since being drafted 60th overall in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, Uche hasn’t lived up to second round expectations. Now, that may not be his fault and Belichick most likely reached, but his numbers have been low aside from the 2022 season.

That year was a breakout type performance. Uche racked up 11.5 sacks and finally started to look like the beast he was with Don Brown at Michigan.

During that stellar 2022 season, Brown talked to us about recruiting Uche and knowing just how good of a pass rusher he was right from the jump.

“Josh Uche was 215 lbs. from Christopher Columbus High School. He was a guy that could rush the passer. When I was at BC, I started recruiting him. Then, he kind of followed me to Michigan and we ended up taking him,” Brown said. “With him, the development part was the linebacker piece. The thing the man could always do was get off the ball and get after the quarterback, he could always do that.

“Our thing was, get him up to speed and keep working hard to develop him as a linebacker, but his pass rush stuff was above reproach.”

Uche has only played 31%, 30%, 38% and 33% of the defensive snaps in his first four years in the league. That development part that Brown spoke of back in 2022 could still be un-tapped. Outside of the ’22 performance, Uche has just seven sacks combined in the other three seasons. Is that a lack of talent, or a lack of legitimate opportunity with legitimate coaching? Let’s see what Dont’a Hightower can get out of him.

A one-year deal for minimal money is a no-risk situation for the Patriots and ideally, it motivates Uche for a big season so Demarcus Covington and the rest of the defense reap the rewards. Uche talked openly last season about wanting to play for Mayo if he was ever a head coach as well.

Is this an earth shattering free agent signing that gets fans flocking back to Gillette for season tickets? Of course not, but it’s a steady, consistent approach so far, showing respect to guys that have done things the right way since becoming Patriots.

And remember, we haven’t even technically hit free agency yet.