Patriots Have Easy Decision To Make With Disgruntled Wideout

Jerod Mayo and the New England Patriots have been lobbed a softball at a time they need a home run.

Veteran wide receiver K.J. Osborn signed a one-year deal last offseason. He’s failed to meet expectations (seven catches, 57 yards in five games), and received fewer snaps as a result. Osborn also created a distraction when he broadcast his unhappiness on social media.

He all but doubled down on his unhappiness when asked about a potential trade.

“It’s like an alley-oop,” Osborn told reporters at Gillette Stadium on Wednesday, per MassLive’s Chris Mason. “This is where I am. This is the place I signed to be. A lot of things are out of my control, but I would like to be where my feet are. So today I’m here, so now I’ll just rock with it as it goes.”

Osborn added: “It’s extremely difficult. It’s frustrating. A lot of stuff is not in my control. No matter the performance or anything like that. The organization is going to do what’s best for them. And for us. So that’s something I can’t control.”

That doesn’t sound like someone who wants to stay put. So Mayo and the Patriots don’t need to make this difficult: Trade him.

The first-year head coach sorely needs to establish a culture inside One Patriot Place. It’s what he was brought in to do. If you’ve paid any attention the last week, you know it isn’t going well.

But this Osborn situation could give Mayo and company an opportunity to steer the ship. Trading a player who created a distraction because of self-serving feelings? It could serve as a small step toward building a culture. And, again, we’re talking about a 27-year-old who isn’t producing in the short-term and isn’t tied to the team long-term.

It’s an easy call.