Patriots’ K.J. Osborn Looking To Show This After Vikings Tenure

K.J. Osborn isn’t going to knock anyone’s socks off like some more prominent wide receivers who hit the open market this offseason, but the Patriots still got a good player when they inked him to a one-year deal.

In New England, good is a rarely used adjective when discussing the wide receiver room. In Minnesota, where Osborn spent four seasons, being good was barely enough to earn playing time.

Osborn’s stint with the Vikings saw him play with plenty of stud pass catchers, which in turn limited his opportunities. He was always the No. 3 option in the receiver room, and closer to the No. 5 option for Kirk Cousins when factoring in tight ends and running backs. The Patriots will need him to be more than that, and the 26-year-old is ready to prove he can rise to the occasion.

“I’m excited to show what type of player I am,” Osborn told media Wednesday. “I’ve played with some great players — Adam (Thielen), (Justin Jefferson), T.J. (Hockenson) and (Jordan Addison) and Dalvin (Cook). I’ve played with some great players, man.

“I’m excited to get some more opportunities to be able to really help this team win. There’s a lot of great players already in the receiver room, so I want to come in and be another help to those guys (and be) another complement. There’s some vets in there. And again, at the end of the day, just help this team win. But I’m excited for opportunity ahead.”

Osborn’s been extremely productive despite his limited target share, averaging more than 50 catches in the last three seasons despite never receiving more than the third-most targets in a season. Osborn also reached the end zone 15 times in that stretch, totaling 1,845 receiving yards.

If he can bring similar numbers to New England, the Patriots might throw a parade for him. That’s how things have gone recently, but in the eyes of Osborn, that could change.