K.J. Osborn Resurfaces for Tryout with Hated Vikings Foe
Former Minnesota Vikings wide receiver K.J. Osborn hasn’t done much of anything since departing the purple team in the 2024 offseason, but if he plays his cards right this week, he could become the newest member of the New Orleans Saints.
Remember K.J. Osborn? He’s unemployed through five weeks of the regular season, and with any luck, he’ll have a new team by the end of the week.
Indeed, Osborn auditioned for the Vikings’ rivals’ roster and could end up on the practice squad in no time.
Saints Give K.J. Osborn a Look
The 28-year-old hasn’t been seen or heard from in a while.
K.J. Osborn Tries Out for Saints’ Roster
Nobody had heard from Osborn for a couple of months, until KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweeted Tuesday, “The Saints worked out Shemar Bartholomew, Ronnie Bell, Michael Davis (signed), Mecole Hardman, Keenan Isaac, K.J. Osborn, Dee Williams.”
New Orleans has wide receivers Trey Palmer, Bub Means, and Ja’Lynn Polk on injured reserve, and if signed, Osborn would evidently serve as a depth option.
New Orleans’ WR Room
Where would Osborn fit in New Orleans? Here’s the WR roster:
- Chris Olave
- Rashid Shaheed
- Brandin Cooks
- Devaughn Vele
- Mason Tipton
- Kevin Austin Jr. (Practice Squad)
- Dante Pettis (Practice Squad)
- Trey Palmer (Injured Reserve)
- Bub Means (Injured Reserve)
- Ja’Lynn Polk (Injured Reserve)
Osborn would fit on the practice squad with Austin Jr. and Pettis.
Role in New Orleans, if Applicable
The high end for Osborn would be a) a contract for the Saints’ practice squad, b) an eventual call-up to the active roster, or c) an afternoon where Osborn broke out with several receptions.
Otherwise, the likely probability, if New Orleans signs him at all, is a prolonged stay on the practice squad. In fact, that could be his career outlook for the long haul, mainly because Osborn did not catch on with the New England Patriots or Washington Commanders last season.
Career with the Vikings
Osborn spent his entire rookie deal in Minnesota. After a completely silent debut in the pandemic year — when the Vikings didn’t use him on offense at all — he surprisingly burst onto the scene in the summer of 2021 at training camp.
From there, the veteran wideout stuck through March 2024, carving out a role mostly as WR3. That mattered more than folks realize. For years, Minnesota more or less shrugged at the WR3 spot, rolling out names like Bisi Johnson and Chad Beebe. When Osborn grabbed it in 2021, the Vikings finally had a quasi-legitimate third option.
In 2023, he logged 48 catches for 540 yards and three scores — right in line with his norm, even if the touchdowns dipped. By 2024, his production had tailed off to seven grabs, 57 yards, and a lone touchdown. Now, Osborn is seeking fringe practice squad employment, which New Orleans could provide.
More on the Saints’ Passing Offense
Some believe New Orleans’ passing game has begun to turn the corner.
Louisiana Sports‘ Ross Jackson opined this week, “The Saints’ passing attack is already evolving. While an 87-yard touchdown pass is being heralded as a major change in the New Orleans Saints passing attack, there are a few other changing trends in the team’s offense that suggest a passing game evolution.”
“The Saints most targeted routes this season appear to be hitches, outs, slants and flats. However, over the last two weeks, there has been a clear shift in some of the team’s passing tendencies. Per SūmerSports, the Saints have increased their usage of intermediate crossing routes with those patterns earning a 14.55% target share in Weeks 4 and 5 versus 10.43% (plus-4.12%) in Weeks 1-3.”
New Orleans’ passing offense ranks 24th in the NFL through five weeks per DVOA.
“Similarly, the analytics tracking shows a 4.82% decrease in targets to the flats. These trends suggest that the Saints, who have also seen an uptick in screen pass usage, are seeking bigger plays as the season continues,” Jackson added.
“Head coach Kellen Moore has already shown a propensity to set up and break tendencies, and he looks to be making additional, gradual shifts in the team’s passing game as quarterback Spencer Rattler and the offense settles into its new and changing scheme.”
Osborn will turn 29 next summer.
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