3 Reasons to be Confident in K.J. Osborn as Minnesota’s WR2
K. Joudry
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Minnesota’s WR2 debate won’t settle down until after the draft.
If the Vikings opt for a highly-regarded receiver in RD1, then there will be an open competition for the spot opposite Justin Jefferson. If, however, Minnesota doesn’t snag a receiver early, then K.J. Osborn will be the clear-cut frontrunner to snag the job.
Entering Year 4 in the NFL, Osborn has shown flashes of brilliance. To my mind, he was the spark that lit the comeback fire in the historically great win over the Colts. Simply focusing on that game, though, shouldn’t hinder us from seeing that he has been a strong contributor for a little while.
Can he elevate even further, becoming a week-in, week-out offensive weapon who challenges for 1,000 yards as the team’s #3 pass catcher?
Believe in K.J. Osborn as Minnesota’s WR2
Reason #1 – Minnesota’s History With Drafting & Developing Receivers
Eliminate Osborn for a minute. Do the Vikings have a history of successfully drafting and developing receivers?
The answer is a resounding yes.
Some guy named Randy Moss comes to mind. Justin Jefferson happens to be pretty good (let’s not forget he was chosen 22nd overall, a draft slot that suggest he’s far from a sure thing). Stefon Diggs went in the 5th and Adam Thielen was an UDFA.
Some of the lesser-known receivers in Vikings history also betray the team’s capacity to draft and develop. Before consecutive season-ending injuries, Bisi Johnson was a great story as a RD7 receiver who had become a solid contributor. Jarius Wright entered the NFL as a RD4 selection by Minnesota; during the magical 2017 season, Wright was commonly found making critical plays in critical moments.
Cris Carter wasn’t a Vikings draft pick but he certainly grew in Minnesota. In the end, Carter became an all-time great who is now in the Hall of Fame. Give him credit for climbing to those heights as we also give credit to the team for helping get him there.
Reason #2 – The Vikings’ Inaction During Free Agency
If actions speak louder than words, then Minnesota’s inaction says a lot about how the team’s leadership feels about K.J. Osborn.
Mecole Hardman, Darius Slayton, D.J. Chark, Odell Beckham Jr., and Parris Campbell are just a handful of WRs who were free agents. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah didn’t sign any of them even though they all signed for modest deals (except for OBJ, an irony considering his age and missed season).
The point, folks, is simply that Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, Kevin O’Connell, and Keenan McCardell can’t be too worried about the WR situation. The option was there to bring in additional veteran talent. Minnesota opted against the option, a notable reality given their propensity for passing in 2022.
If there was widespread belief that Osborn couldn’t get the job done, the Vikings would have almost certainly added someone from among the main FAs. Instead, they brought in Brandon Powell on a modest deal, a player who will likely need to carve out a special teams role to make the final roster.
Reason #3 – Osborn’s On-Field Play and Off-Field Approach
I’ll reiterate a previous prediction: Osborn gets a “C” slapped on his chest before his career in Minnesota comes to an end. He’s smart, competitive, and hard working. Partner those attributes with some strong athleticism and you’ve got someone capable of thriving.
Oh, and he seems to be motivated by some of the recent doubt.
Last season, Osborn put up 60 catches, 650 yards, and 5 TDs. Improving the yards-per-catch average (10.8 in 2022, down from 13.1 the year prior) ought to be among Minnesota’s priorities. With plenty of options underneath – TEs T.J. Hockenson and Josh Oliver foremost among them – Osborn can ideally be used to win deep like he does here, here, and here (here, too).
Of course, Osborn needs to produce from within Kevin O’Connell’s offense. Maybe the head coach will lean on the young wideout to pick up yards underneath, but the fact remains: Osborn has shown on many instances he can get open down the field.
Keep an eye on Osborn as one of Minnesota’s primary breakout candidates. He’s entering the final year of his rookie deal and he’ll carry a $2,809,943 cap hit.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
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