Greg Fiume/Getty Images
The Commanders cut veteran wide receiver K.J. Osborn on Wednesday ahead of final cuts.
NFL cutdown day is here, meaning teams have some tough decisions to make as they trim their rosters from 90 to 53 players before Tuesday’s 4 p.m. ET deadline.
That’s certainly the case for the Washington Commanders, who, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, have cut wide receiver K.J. Osborn.
Osborn, 28, had five catches for 35 yards this preseason and appeared to have an inside track on one of the final spots at receiver, making his release a bit of a surprise.
“This is a mild surprise,” said John Keim, who covers the Commanders for ESPN. “None of the depth WRs stood out for the No. 6 spot. Osborn figured to have a good shot by virtue of his experience.”
For his career, Osborn has 165 catches for 1,902 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Why Did the Commanders Cut K.J. Osborn?
Osborn, 28, had only been with Washington since December, when he was claimed off waivers from the New England Patriots. But the Commanders obviously liked Osborn enough to keep him around for 2025. In March, the Commanders re-signed Osborn to a one-year, $1.19 million deal.
Osborn’s first four NFL seasons were with the Minnesota Vikings where he became an effective secondary target. In 2022, Osborn had 60 catches for 650 yards and five touchdowns, and in 2023, he caught 48 passes for 540 yards and three touchdowns.
Osborn joined New England the following season on a one-year, $4 million contract, but was waived after only seven games. He concluded his Patriots tenure with seven catches for 57 yards and a score.
While Osborn didn’t necessarily wow anyone this preseason, his experience was thought to be of value in Washington.
Was K.J. Osborn Really a Surprise Cut?
The Commanders’ receiving corps is led by Terry McLaurin, Deebo Samuel and Noah Brown, with Luke McCaffrey and rookies Jaylin Lane and Ja’Corey Brooks in reserve.
As for Osborn, he was never a lock to make the 53-man roster.
Case in point: Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic did not include Osborn on her final roster projection for the Commanders.
“I’m keeping McCaffrey largely because he was a third-round pick last year, and Brooks because of his size (6-foot-3) and potential,” Jhabvala wrote. “He caught five passes on five targets for a game-high 59 receiving yards against the Patriots. But this is one group that could see turnover before Week 1.”
The Commanders kick off their season Sept. 7 against the New York Giants.
What Teams Are Interested in K.J. Osborn?
Is a reunion in Minnesota in the cards for Osborn? Schefter raised that possibility during an appearance Friday on the Pat McAfee Show.
“The Vikings have tried to trade for Adam Thielen but up until now it just doesn’t look like it’s going to happen … but maybe they pivot to signing K.J. Osborn,” Schefter said.
Pro Football Talk’s Myles Simmons also mentioned Osborn as a potential fallback for Minnesota.
Thielen was a Viking for nine seasons before joining the Carolina Panthers in 2023 on a three-year contract. The two-time Pro Bowler is heading into the final year of his restructured deal.