KJ Osborne might like a mulligan
One Ex-Viking Has Not Panned Out for New Team
Former Minnesota Vikings wideout K.J. Osborn scripted his career’s second chapter to begin in New England with the Patriots, and one must wonder if he’d like a do-over.
The Patriots’ offense, led by journeyman passer Jacoby Brissett, has ignored Osborn through four games en route to a lousy 1-3 win-loss record. New England needs a win this weekend at home against another lowly team, the Miami Dolphins, to rekindle any Wildcard playoff hopes.
Entering Week 5, Osborn has tabulated 5 receptions for 31 yards. And then that’s it. He’s been on the field for 69% of all offensive transactions, so it’s not like the guy was benched for someone else. Osborn is simply experiencing relative shutouts in the gameplan.
If the pace continues, Osborn will finish 2024 with 131 receiving yards — on a team, by all accounts, showcasing the worst WR corps in football. Osborn and rookie teammate Ja’Lynn Polk are second in New England’s WR in targets with 13, behind Demario Douglas with 15, meaning Brissett enjoys keeping the passing game underneath with targets to tight end Hunter Henry (21 targets) and running back Rhamondre Stevenson (13 targets).
Perhaps the offense will benefit from an injection when rookie passer Drake Maye eventually sniffs the starting lineup. Stay tuned.
Osborn spent his whole rookie contract with the Vikings. The University of Miami alumnus busted out into prominence during the summer of 2021 after an unbelievably quiet rookie year during the pandemic season. In fact, the Vikings didn’t use Osborn on offense at all as a rookie, but he emerged at training camp the following season.
And then the veteran playmaker stuck around until March 2024, mostly used as a WR3. Moreover, Osborn’s arrival on the scene was of the utmost importance for Minnesota. For about four seasons, the Vikings “never really seemed to care” about WR3, nominating men like Bisi Johnson and Chad Beebe for the task. But when Osborn seized the job in 2021, the purple team finally employed an honest-to-goodness WR3.
Osborn totaled 48 receptions for 540 yards and 3 touchdowns in 2023. The year was pretty standard in Osborn’s world, though the touchdown numbers dipped.
With Jordan Addison’s immediate emergence to WR2, Osborn could grab more money on the open market than the Vikings weren’t willing to deliver. Too, Osborn was not drafted by the current Vikings front office and coaching staff, meaning he was not a priority to re-sign.
When the Vikings’ long-term plan materialized, it became clear that the moment Minnesota drafted Addison, Osborn’s days were numbered in Minnesota.
The article is right, Osborne was bumped down to #3 once Addison was drafted...I'm sure that was clear as day for him.
Signing with NE was questionable imo.
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
It’d be interesting to see what his options were at the time. Seems pretty obvious that he was going to move on, just for financials, but New England doesn’t have much going right for them. Was there a chance he could have went someplace with better coaching and QB play?
He was one of the most peak/valley receivers I've ever experienced. He'd make a heroic catch, then bobble/drop several with at least a couple ending up as INTs.
He, TJ, and Mattison aged me in dog years early last season.
KOC, JJM, Flores...make a good plan, or you'll be following Kwesi....
Remember it was KJ OSBORNE in the wild card game vs Giants two years ago who dropped an EASY third down pass from Cousins forcing the 4th and 8 play of which Cousins was CRUCIFIED for throwing short. NEVER ONCE did Cousins call out KJ but you want to blame ANYONE for the Vikings NOT getting a chance to tie that game its on Osborne, NOT COUSINS.
Chuckf wrote:
Remember it was KJ OSBORNE in the wild card game vs Giants two years ago who dropped an EASY third down pass from Cousins forcing the 4th and 8 play of which Cousins was CRUCIFIED for throwing short. NEVER ONCE did Cousins call out KJ but you want to blame ANYONE for the Vikings NOT getting a chance to tie that game its on Osborne, NOT COUSINS.
I got crucified for bringing that up back then, and for a couple of his bobble-INTs in other games.
I didn't exactly weep when he left. No denying he made some great plays, here and there, but his goofs could be enormous.
KOC, JJM, Flores...make a good plan, or you'll be following Kwesi....
When JJ went down last year, KJ had a huge opportunity. Coming off a promising 2022 season, most including myself assumed he’d step up and play well. It made sense, especially in his contract year. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen and he wasn’t very good. Now this year he’s failed to impress in New England.
I doubt he had many offers from contenders and the Pats likely paid him a, “we stink” tax on his deal. Good for him on getting paid. Hopefully he can resurrect his career somehow.
Yeah, I think he’s probably more the type of guy that can be productive on a good team, than a guy who can elevate a garbage team. Might be better off doing a 1 year, $2M stint with a good team than cratering with a bad team.
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