K.J. Osborn spent the past three seasons as the Vikings’ No. 3 receiver.
He averaged 615 receiving yards eating leftover targets behind All-Pro wideout Justin Jefferson and a former Pro Bowler in Adam Thielen, whom Minnesota replaced last year with first-round pick Jordan Addison.
Now, Osborn wants more, and he believes he’ll find it in New England.
“I’m excited to show the type of player I am,” Osborn told reporters via video conference Wednesday. “I’ve played with some great players – Adam (Thielen) and (Jefferson) and (T.J. Hockenson) and (Addison) and Dalvin (Cook). I’ve played with some great players. I’m excited to get some more opportunities and be able to really help this team win.”
Osborn said the Patriots made his Tuesday visit to the facility “feel like home.” He met with new head coach Jerod Mayo and owner Robert Kraft, among others. Before he agreed to terms on his one-year free-agent contract Sunday, Osborn said he spoke with Mayo about the team’s plans at quarterback, and became comfortable with the idea of joining a rebuilding team.
“I know what I signed up for,” he said. “It’s going to be a grind, and I want to be a person that helps get this organization back to where it needs to be.”
Last season, Osborn finished with 48 catches for 540 yards, more than every other Patriots receiver except then sixth-round rookie DeMario Douglas. Osborn has played most of his career in the slot, where Douglas lines up, so it appears the two will split time there in 2024. The 26-year-old said he’s open to filling any role with the Patriots, including serving as their No. 1 target.
Two years ago, Osborn enjoyed his best season during a Vikings playoff run, totaling 650 yards and five touchdowns. The only Patriots receiver to top those numbers the past two seasons is Jakobi Meyers, now a Las Vegas Raider. The key to repeating that production, Osborn indicated, will come down to extra practice reps and timing with his new quarterback.
“Just being on the field more,” he said. “I would think that comes with the reps and just seeing the game plan, the mental side of it. We’re all in the NFL. There’s a lot of talented players but the talent will only take you far. So, the mental part of the game, being on the same page with your quarterback; something I loved with Kirk (Cousins).”
As for who that quarterback will be, the Patriots signed veteran Jacoby Brissett to a one-year contract this offseason. Brissett is expected to serve as a bridge to whomever the front office drafts next April. Following his comments Wednesday, Osborn sounds comfortable with that plan.
“(The quarterback situation) definitely went into the decision,” Osborn said. “I spoke to Coach Mayo, (offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt) and (others) like that for the plan going forward. I trust them that everything will take care of itself.”
LIONS: Detroit defensive back Cameron Sutton is wanted on a domestic violence warrant in Florida, where authorities on Wednesday asked for tips to help find him.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said on the X social media platform that the warrant is for domestic battery by strangulation, a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison. The department responded to a call about domestic violence in progress involving Sutton, 29, and a female around 5 a.m. March 7, said Phil Martello, a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office, according to a Detroit Free Press report.
Authorities issued the warrant based on the evidence they found and suspect that Sutton has fled Tampa, Martello told the newspaper. Attempts to contact and call him have been unsuccessful, he said.
TITANS: Tennessee is re-signing veteran kicker Nick Folk after he made an NFL-leading, career-best 96.7% of his kicks last season.
Tennessee traded a 2025 seventh-round draft pick to New England last August for Folk just before NFL’s roster cut deadline after trying a pair of undrafted free agents to fill its need for a kicker.
CARDINALS: Arizona General Manager Monti Ossenfort said he’s starting to field calls from other teams regarding the team’s No. 4 overall pick in next month’s NFL draft.
The second-year GM said that doesn’t mean he’s looking to make a trade. But if a good deal comes along, he’s willing. The Cardinals are unlike many teams at the top of the draft because they already have a franchise quarterback. Kyler Murray is locked into a $230.5 million, five-year deal that could keep him in the desert through 2028.
Instead, Arizona needs help just about everywhere else. The Cardinals have been linked to two of the top receivers in this year’s draft pool — Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. and LSU’s Malik Nabers. But there’s certainly a possibility that the Cardinals trade down.
THE NFL competition committee is proposing a rule to penalize so-called “hip-drop” tackles and a radical change to kickoffs to add more returns without compromising safety.
The proposals will be presented to owners at the league meetings later this month, with 24 out of 32 votes needed for approval.
The new rule kickoff proposal takes elements of the rules used in spring leagues like the XFL. For a standard kickoff, the ball would be kicked from the 35-yard line with the 10 kick coverage players lined up at the opposing 40, with five on each side of the field.
The return team would have at least nine blockers lined up in the “set up zone” between the 30- and 35-yard line with at least seven of those players touching the 35. There would be up two returners allowed inside the 20.
Only the kicker and two returners would be allowed to move until the ball hits the ground or was touched by a returner inside the 20.
Any kick that reaches the end zone in the air can be returned, or the receiving team can opt for a touchback and possession at the 35. Any kick that reaches the end zone in the air and goes out of bounds or out of the end zone also would result in a touchback at the 35.
If a ball hits a returner or the ground before the end zone and goes into the end zone, a touchback would be at the 20 or the play could be returned. Any kick received in the field of play would have be returned.
Under current rules, any touchback – or if a returner calls for a fair catch in the field of play – results in the receiving team getting the ball at its own 25. A trailing team can declare an onside kick attempt in the fourth quarter twice in a game, which would be similar to the current onside kick rules.
Copy the Story LinkSend questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.