5 Patriots Whose Jobs Aren’t Safe After Surviving Trade Deadline

2. K.J. Osborn, WR

Bourne isn't the only struggling receiver on the Patriots' roster this season.

K.J. Osborn's presence has also been relatively invisible after signing a one-year contract with the franchise in the offseason. The 27-year-old pass-catcher racked up 1,845 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns across his final three seasons with the Minnesota Vikings and the hope was that he could find similar success in New England's offense.

We're now entering Week 11 and Osborn has yet to make an impact in the passing game. The former 2020 fifth-rounder has only caught seven of his 18 targets for 57 yards and a touchdown through seven games. He finished five of those outings with one or zero catches and hasn't made a single reception since Week 7.

It doesn't matter how many snaps he plays: the Patriots simply don't view Osborn as an integral part of the offense. Unless he finds a way to turn things around soon, it's hard to imagine management offering him a second contract when he hits free agency in March.

3. Ben Brown, C

With centers David Andrews and Jake Andrews on the injured reserve, the Patriots were forced to sign Ben Brown off the Las Vegas Raiders' practice squad back in October. The former Ole Miss blocker had only played one NFL game before the transaction and that quickly changed upon arriving in New England.

Since being claimed, Brown has gone on to start in five consecutive games for the Patriots. He's struggled to make the most of the situation, though, allowing 10 pressures across 219 passing downs while also taking four penalties.

Struggling to protect his quarterbacks, Brown owns the third-worst pass block grade (45.1) among 36 eligible centers, according to Pro Football Focus. What's even worse is that his 46.4 grade for overall offense is the worst mark at his position, highlighting how ineffective he's been.

With his contract also expiring, it's going to take a lot for Brown to prove that he belongs with the Patriots.