Take a walk down memory lane with me to revisit the 2022 Minnesota Vikings during Kevin O’Connell’s first season with the team. K.J. Osborn isn’t the first player you’ll remember from that squad, but he played a vital role in Minnesota’s explosive offense.
It feels like a lifetime ago when you look at some of the key contributors who are no longer on the roster, including Kirk Cousins, Dalvin Cook, and Eric Kendricks, to name a few. All of those guys played significant roles with the team. However, Osborn was an unsung cog in the machine who helped produce a top-10 offense that season — and he’s a free agent this offseason.
Osborn hit the open market after the 2023 season and signed with the New England Patriots. However, the Patriots waived Osborn in what Adam Schefter reported was a “mutual decision,” and the Washington Commanders picked him up.
Then, after not catching on in Washington, he also made a short trip to Atlanta this past season. The Atlanta Falcons signed him to their practice squad, briefly reuniting him with Kirk Cousins. However, he was never able to capture the role on the other squads he had with the Vikings for three seasons. Well, the Vikings are looking for that role again in 2026, and a reunion with Osborn is worth discussing.
Minnesota ranks among league leaders in running 3WR sets, and Jalen Nailor filled Osborn’s role in O’Connell’s offense admirably in the past two seasons. Even with Nailor’s success, he hasn’t been able to live up to the consistent production that Osborn showed during his two seasons in O’Connell’s offense.
Another major element to consider is Nailor’s projected $4.7 million contract value this offseason. Nailor has garnered early interest, so he’ll likely price himself out of Minnesota’s limited cap flexibility quickly.
As mentioned before, Nailor balled out at certain times for the Vikings and excelled at stretching the field. That came in handy for Sam Darnold, who had a rocket arm to get it to him.
However, as we saw in 2025, Minnesota’s offense doesn’t operate like that anymore. With the relatively inexperienced J.J. McCarthy at the helm last season, the offense was more focused on efficiency and building confidence with easier throws. Not to say that McCarthy didn’t flash a pretty deep ball this season. However, it’s more about the trust from O’Connell to scheme up that sort of play to begin with.
So, what does this all have to do with Osborn?
Osborn excelled in the short-to-intermediate passing game in Minnesota, relying on his crisp route running and reliable hands to be the quiet heartbeat for the O’Connell offense for two seasons. He also wasn’t afraid to get dirty, priding himself on blocking. In his role, he was the perfect complement to Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen, forming what some people called Three Deep 2.0 at the time.
Teams too often devalue veteran leadership. However, the Vikings prioritize it, and Osborn can provide it, despite being only 28 years old. For reference, Nailor is 27. Osborn also has experience in O’Connell’s complicated offense.
O’Connell is facing a challenging 2026 season, to say the least. The Vikings have limited cap space; a lack of young, talented depth at multiple positions across the team; and have yet to win a playoff game during O’Connell’s tenure.
At the WR position, specifically, the Vikings still don’t know what they have in Tai Felton, who they drafted in the third round last year. With all of these factors in mind, perhaps he should hit rewind and bring back affordable pieces like Osborn, who once had a role in his early success. In fact, why stop at Osborn?
There are other 2026 free agents with O’Connell ties that could help address immediate needs for below-market contracts, like Alexander Mattison (2019-23), who would be an option with Aaron Jones on his way out, and Dalton Risner (2023-24) would be an ideal candidate for OL depth.
Osborn is the definition of a safe bet in multiple ways and will be an immediate safety blanket for McCarthy as he continues to develop while making starts for Minnesota. His low risk is exactly what the Vikings need in 2026, with all of their decisions coming this offseason.
Taking a flyer on Osborn will also allow the Vikings to address other needs outside of WR in the 2026 draft. Sometimes we all need to take a few steps backward to move forward again, and bringing back K.J. Osborn is exactly the sort of move that accomplishes just that.