4 silver linings from the Vikings 0-2 start to the 2021 season

Osborn continues to impress

K.J. Osborn was undoubtedly the surprise of the Vikings’ training camp this summer and that carried over into the first game of the season when he hauled in seven passes for 76 yards. He made some tough grabs and it was clear Kirk Cousins trusted him catching the ball. It didn’t take Osborn long to show that his first game of 2021 wasn’t a fluke.

Osborn started the Cardinals’ game off with a bang. He caught a bomb from Cousins on the second play of the contest and then fought his way 64 yards into the end zone for his first career touchdown.

He finished with five receptions for 91 yards and that score against Arizona. He’s had an amazing start to the season for a guy who many figured would be a surefire cut when training camp began.

With the lack of the tight end in the current version of Minnesota’s offense, Osborn’s emergence has been huge. The guy runs crisps routes and he has shown some of the surest hands on the team.

Osborn is going to start getting more attention from opposing defenses, which should open up things more for Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson, and even create a little more room for Dalvin Cook in the running game.

Osborn has been one of the silver linings for the entire 0-2 start, and hopefully, he can make some plays to help the team get that first win sooner than later.