Vikings Linked to Familiar Face Hours After Release
The Minnesota Vikings are still looking for receiver help. Adam Thielen has been the most discussed name, but the Carolina Panthers have not budged yet. With the team needing another receiver or two for the first three games of the year until Jordan Addison can return from his suspension, another former Viking has entered the chat.
Vikings Linked to Familiar Face Hours After Release
It was not too unpredictable to see K.J. Osborn in the Vikings rumor mill on Tuesday, the NFL’s cutdown day. The receiver failed to qualify for Washington’s 53-man roster and became a free agent once again. Osborn hasn’t had any success outside of the Twin Cities, so a reunion could be on the table.
There’s no shortage of folks opining that.
Consider Riggo’s Rag, a Commanders blog. Writer Dean Jones noted, “And there is one obvious destination that makes almost too much sense. The Minnesota Vikings are reportedly seeking wide receiver reinforcements in the trade market. They are being heavily linked with a move for Adam Thielen, but the Carolina Panthers are driving a hard bargain. If nothing can be agreed upon, the NFC North club could bring Osborn back to familiar surroundings.”
Osborn was initially the forgotten second receiver of the 2020 class, which obviously included transcendent talent Justin Jefferson. While Jefferson was hunting records from day one (or Week 3) on, Osborn couldn’t get onto the field outside of special teams, something he was not that talented at.
When folks thought he might end up on the chopping block, he exploded in the 2021 training camp and turned into a decent WR3 for the club. In the next three seasons, Osborn caught 158 passes for 1,845 yards and 15 touchdowns, with some game-winners and big performances in memorable spots like the overtime game-winner versus the Panthers in 2021 or his main role in the comeback win over the Colts in 2022.
After the 2023 season, his contract expired, and the Vikings looked elsewhere to fill the WR3 role. Osborn signed with the Patriots, but failed to make much of an impact with only seven catches. The Patriots cut him during his first season there, and he headed to Washington, where he played in one game and remained catchless.
Now, he’s back on the market, as the Commanders showed him the door.
NBC Sports’ Myles Simmons put on record, “While Minnesota has reportedly been trying to acquire former receiver Adam Thielen from Carolina, the two sides have not been able to agree on a price. Osborn could be a fallback option for the Vikings to increase their depth at receiver.”
A reunion makes sense. The numbers suggest that Osborn is a more experienced (better?) pass-catcher than Tim Jones, Myles Price, and Tai Felton. He has familiarity with the offense, and he’s always been a strong blocker, which coaches always enjoy.
Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling suggested after the cut news hit the internet, “If the #Vikings are looking for a plug-and-play option at receiver who’d come cheaper than Adam Thielen would in a trade, Osborn could be a fit.”
Osborn, 28, should at least be brought in for a workout or a visit to figure out what went wrong at the other two franchises. Did he not fit the offenses? Has he lost a step? Those things could be addressed in a meeting.
Regardless, Osborn makes just as much sense as any other capable receiver on the market. The Vikings need someone to catch passes from J.J. McCarthy besides Jefferson, and tight end T.J. Hockenson, and Osborn could be a nice placeholder for a few weeks without having much leverage to ask for too much salary.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.