Patriots WR is Clear Cut Candidate After Surviving Trade Deadline

The New England Patriots made one of the most significant moves ahead of the NFL's trade deadline, sending pass-rusher Josh Uche to the Kansas City Chiefs before Halloween. Many expected another deal or two by Tuesday, but nothing came to fruition for New England.

One player who seemed to be as good as gone was wide receiver KJ Osborn, a target for playoff contenders in need of an experienced supporting target.

Though Osborn remains on the roster, it's legitimately possible that won't be for long.

So far, this signing has not worked out for either side.

The Patriots pursued the veteran to help a WR room that's struggled to produce, and he seemed like he was up to the task after posting three straight campaigns with at least 540 yards, including a pair of 650-yard seasons in 2021 and 2022. Meanwhile, New England presented an opportunity for Osborn to be a leading man after being in the shadow of Justin Jefferson as a Viking.

Yet, Osborn managed a putrid 5 receptions and 31 yards over the first four games of the year. Jacoby Brissett's struggles under center certainly deserve partial blame for those numbers, but lackluster play from his wideouts (Osborn included) also didn't help.

Then he got hurt, missing Week 5 and 6 with a shoulder injury. Following two more dud games, Osborn let his frustrations be known, making comments to reporters that put his future with the team in serious doubt.

The Pats even made Osborn a healthy scratch in Week 9 to aid their efforts to trade him. So they already determined before the deadline that they were fine or even better off without him.

Now that a trade didn't come to fruition, it still makes sense for both sides to split. It's not like Osborn has made any meaningful contribution to the offense this year, and each party already seemed content to part ways.

Sure, a 2-7 team losing a talented receiver, especially for nothing, isn't ideal. But assuming Osborn is unhappy he wasn't dealt, keeping him around could do more harm than good if he causes distractions in the locker room.

A release allows both sides to move on from a partnership that's abundantly not worked out. It could even help the Patriots earn some brownie points around the league if they cut Osborn to allow him to sign with a contender for the second half of the year.

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