Will the Vikings Miss K.J. Osborn?
This is the first season since the Minnesota Vikings drafted K.J. Osborn in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL Draft that the team will be without his services. Osborn was intended to walk this offseason, but the way things have taken shape, Kevin O’Connell could wind up missing the veteran wideout.
Will the Vikings Miss K.J. Osborn?
Last season, K.J. Osborn had an opportunity unlike any other during his professional career. With Justin Jefferson going down early due to a hamstring injury, the Vikings needed a pass-catcher to step up alongside Jordan Addison. Instead of thriving, despite 12 starts, Osborn’s 540 yards were the lowest total of his career.
Outside of big games against the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions, Osborn simply did less with more. T.J. Hockenson experienced a production bump, and Addison had a great rookie season, but Osborn was on the outside looking in. Eventually, it seemed apparent that Brandon Powell, who was familiar with Kevin O’Connell from their time in Los Angeles, was better suited to get the reps.
Now gone and with the New England Patriots, Osborn’s presence (or lack thereof) may strike some as the devil you knew. The devil the Vikings don’t know is what Powell or Jalen Nailor can contribute as regulars. One of them must step into the full-time third wide receiver role, and with Hockenson shelved for a significant period, the offense could be reliant on them.
O’Connell and Minnesota fans knew what they were getting out of Osborn. The ceiling was certainly capped, but the floor also appeared to be relatively safe. He’ll now be working with rookie Drake Maye in New England, and what happens there is largely a question mark as well. Unless the Vikings get immediate production from their new sources though, a what could have been notion will be on the table.
Should the Vikings opt for another more established veteran like Robert Woods (assuming the Texans cut him) or Hunter Renfrow, then all of this becomes moot.
For now, a questionable wide receiver room doesn’t bring the warm fuzzies, and it’s hard not to think what may have been felt if Osborn was still under contract.
Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes weekly for Twins Daily. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.
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