After spending the last four seasons together, the Minnesota Vikings decided to move on from wide receiver K.J. Osborn earlier this year and he eventually wound up signing a contract with the New England Patriots.
As a No. 3 receiver for most of his tenure with the Vikings, some have been wondering where Osborn will fit in with the Patriots during the upcoming season. Will he continue to be a WR3 in New England, will he fall even lower on the depth chart, or will he open up the 2024 campaign as one of the team's two starting wide receivers?
The Patriots began this year's training camp a few days ago, and after the first several practices, the team's plans for the former Minnesota receiver could be coming into focus.
Former Minnesota Vikings WR K.J. Osborn currently at the top of the New England Patriots WR depth chart
With the 2024 regular season less than two months away, teams are really beginning to figure out which players are probably going to enter Week 1 as starters.
If New England's regular season began tomorrow, it seems like Osborn would be one of the team's two starting wide receivers. along with JuJu Smith-Schuster. At least, this is how the Patriots are currently making it seem by having Osborn and Smith-Schuster work with the first-team offense in practice this summer, according to a post on X.com from Fox Sports' Henry McKenna on Thursday.
KJ Osborn and JuJu Smith-Schuster sit atop the Patriots WR depth chart. Here they are leading drills. pic.twitter.com/7ov69JeWGD
— Henry McKenna (@henrycmckenna) July 25, 2024
It's only the first week of training camp for New England, so things can certainly change as it gets closer to the regular season. The Patriots also have a pair of rookie wide receivers in Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker who are talented enough to earn a starting job by the time Week 1 gets here.
But for now, Osborn is getting first-team reps with New England's offense, and he might finally get to show whether or not he can be more than just a No. 3 receiver in the NFL.