The New England Patriots may be hinting at releasing wide receiver KJ Osborn and the Chargers, Ravens could be the best fits for him. According to multiple sources, the Patriots made Osborn for the second week in a row so they might not be using him anymore. Since releasing Tyquan Thornton, the chances of New England doing a clean sweep are high so it shouldn’t surprise anyone if Osborn is the next man looking for a new team. Originally selected in the 2020 NFL Draft, the young receiver never made an impression on the Patriots since his arrival in 2023.
In addition, the team benched Kendrick Bourne the week prior despite his increase in productivity against the Los Angeles Rams. The Patriots could be moving around some pass catchers, and Osborn’s release makes sense for both sides. Osborn struggled to get any yardage this season only producing seven receptions for 18 targets. This doesn’t replicate the receiver he was constructing with the Minnesota Vikings. Even though he wasn’t the No. 1 receiver, he was still a viable slant target to grab those extra passes playing under Kirk Cousins.
Osborn won’t generate a superstar market but he did receive some trade interest before the deadline so it’ll be interesting to see what happens. He probably isn’t a starter in this league but a team like the Chargers, Ravens could give him a chance in a part-time role to rejuvenate himself. This isn’t to say Osborn isn’t good but a new scenery may bring out the best in his in-game abilities.
Patriots Hints At Releasing 1,900-Yard Wide Receiver KJ Osborn – Chargers, Ravens Potential Fits?
Loading Up for Herbert
After their Sunday night win, the Chargers may be a real dark horse team that could be competitive in this season’s postseason. Ladd McConkey looks like a young Adam Thielen who could be a consistent dependable option for Justin Herbert but they still lack plenty of pass catchers. Quentin Johnston is finally showing some life but no one should expect him to hold up the end of his bargain. Jim Harbaugh is never switching Herbert as his signal-caller so they must be able to accommodate his needs to thrive as a top-five quarterback.
The Chargers still have plenty of journeymen on the back end of their receiving corps like Joshua Palmer and DJ Chark. They have Will Dissly as a security but they should roll the dice on Osborn to see what he could on this offense. Osborn would easily become the third-best target behind McConkey and Johnston so he could be an efficient option for Herbert. He doesn’t need to be consistent but the part-time role could help the Chargers see if they need to move on from Palmer or Chark.
Is Baltimore in Trouble?
The Baltimore Ravens may have a wide receiver problem after starting on a ferocious start since signing Derrick Henry. They took a risk by trading for Diontae Johnson but he struggled to get anything going in his revenge loss against the Steelers. The Ravens may have their top two receivers in Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman, they could use another wideout to test the waters. Osborn doesn’t need to sign a long-term deal but see how he could fit in this offense.
However, it shouldn’t surprise anyone if the Ravens don’t extend Johnson after the season. They should roll the dice again on Osborn to see if he can provide any life for Lamar Jackson. Tyquan Wallace is still going through the motions of being a dependable option so bringing in a receiver like Osborn could work out. Meanwhile, Nelson Agholor is looking like a journeyman with a few flashes in certain matchups so they might end up benefiting from a young receiver.
