The New England Patriots’ free agency is far from over. After not signing a single player between Thursday and Saturday, the team jumped back into the market on Sunday to add former Minnesota Vikings wide receiver K.J. Osborn on a one-year contract.
A former fifth-round draft pick, Osborn has some solid production on his career résumé. What will he bring to New England, though? Let’s dissect the signing from a big-picture perspective to find out.
More wide receiver depth…
With Osborn joining the Patriots, they now have nine wide receivers under contract for the 2024 season. Recently re-signed Kendrick Bourne and sophomore DeMario Douglas sit atop the projected depth chart, with Osborn, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Tyquan Thornton, Jalen Reagor, Kayshon Boutte, T.J. Luther, and Kawaan Baker also part of the mix.
At least officially, DeVante Parker is as well. But while his previously-reported release has not yet been processed, meaning he remains on the active roster as of now, the belief is that the move will hit the transaction wire soon.
…and positionally versatility
Osborn has shown he can line up all over the formation, playing the X-, Z-, and slot receiver roles during his time in Minnesota. In New England, he might help improve the depth on the perimeter: with DeVante Parker out the door, the best options to fill the X spot at the moment appear to be Osborn, Jalen Reagor, Tyquan Thornton and, to a lesser degree, T.J. Luther.
Ideally, however, Osborn would play more of a Z role in the mold of Kendrick Bourne. With the recently re-signed Bourne recovering from a torn ACL suffered last October, having seasoned depth and proven production behind him could become important.
While pure athleticism does not necessarily make a good football player, it can make life easier for everyone involved. The Patriots, of course, have not had the most athletically impressive wide receiver room in the league in 2023, and with the exception of the DeVante Parker release little has changed.
Osborn himself is not a hyper-athletic marvel, but he offers a superior profile compared to most members of the current depth chart. In fact, if we use Kent Lee Platte’s Relative Athletic Score as a measure, he ranks third among the team’s current wideouts.
