K.J. Osborn Gets His Next Gig

K.J. Osborn, an excellent depth receiver, has found his next opportunity.

The update comes from ESPN’s Adam Schefter who passes along the simple update: “Commanders are re-signing WR KJ Osborn to a one-year deal.” Presumably, the contract is going to be modest since he had a poor 2024 after leaving Minnesota.

K.J. Osborn’s Next Job in the NFL

The 27-year-old is capable of being a strong WR3.

In fact, he was precisely that in his final trio of seasons as a Viking. He’s smart, hard-working, and has great compete. Add it all together and it won’t be surprising if he one day has a “C” slapped on his chest for an NFL team. The cherry on top is that he showed some ability in Minnesota to win deep down the field, something that every offensive coordinator likes in a receiver.

Last offseason, the Vikings transitioned away from Osborn, someone who was picked by Rick Spielman. Doing so saved money and allowed Jalen Nailor to step into the WR3 opening.

Osborn ended up signing with the Patriots for a single season at just $4 million. Things went poorly. Osborn turned 18 targets into 7 receptions for 57 yards and a lonely touchdown. Before the year ended, the Patriots waived him, allowing the Commanders to pick him up.

Under GM Adam Peters’ and HC Dan Quinn’s leadership, Washington did tremendously well last season. A perpetual disaster under former owner Dan Snyder, the Commanders not only made the playoffs but marched all the way into the NFC Championship Game where they lost to the Eagles. The new ownership, Quinn’s coaching, Jayden Daniels’ sensational rookie season, and various other factors made the ’24 season a wonderful success in the nation’s capital.

K.J. Osborn is signing up for more of that success. Ideally, he’ll carve out a meaningful role for himself in that offense as a veteran who can be moved into the slot or play out wide.

K.J. Osborn had several great moments in the Twin Cities, but arguably his best occurred when facing off against the Colts in 2022. The Vikings pulled off the largest comeback in NFL history and Mr. Osborn was perhaps the central catalyst in the comeback. By the time the final whistle sounded (in overtime), Osborn had turned 16 targets into 10 receptions for 157 yards and 1 touchdown.

So many of his best attributes — his compete, toughness, leadership, etc. — were on full display within that game.

K.J. Osborn was a 5th-Round selection from the 2020 NFL Draft. Already, he has exceeded expectations that typically accompany a player who was snagged at No. 176. Elevating his game a bit further in Washington will simply build on what is already an impressive career.

Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference and Over the Cap helped with this piece.

K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on social media (Bluesky & Twitter). If you feel so inclined, subscribe to his Substack, The Vikings Gazette, for more great Vikings content.