“It was just a healthy scratch,” Mayo said. “We also need to field the best team that we believe will give us the best chance of winning.”

However, it is clear that the Patriots planned to move the 26-year-old Uche, who was also a trade candidate before the deadline last season. Last year, the Patriots finally met the deadline and re-signed Uche to a one-year deal.

Without Uche, the Patriots will continue to prioritize the development of defensive end Keion White in their pass-rush unit. The same goes for linebacker Anfernee Jennings. The eventual return of defensive tackle Christian Barmore should also strengthen this group.

Nicole Yang can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her @nicolecyang.