Projecting the Patriots Wide Receiver Depth Chart Following JuJu Smith-Schuster Release

5. K.J. Osborn

One of the Patriots' early offseason signings was the addition of WR K.J. Osborn. The fifth-year receiver spent his first four seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, who selected him 176th overall in 2020.

It will be interesting to see how Osborn fits into New England's attack. After all, the 2023 campaign was his worst to date, as his 48 receptions, 540 yards, and three TDs in 16 games were all personal worsts. He also carried an 82.1 passer rating when targeted, which would've ranked 37th among 59 QBs last year.

Osborn was praised by the Patriots coaching staff earlier this summer, but things have been relatively quiet since then. If he still wants to stick around and make the 53-man roster, he'll have to find a way to remain in head coach Jerod Mayo's good graces.

6-9. Tyquan Thornton, Kayshon Boutte, Jalen Reagor, David Wallis

As for the remainder of New England's WR room, the pecking order can go in several ways depending on how training camp finishes.

Tyquan Thornton has also been having a solid offseason, however, injuries remain a concern. The former 2022 second-rounder has only played 22 games over the last two seasons and is currently dealing with a soft tissue issue, leaving time to tell if he'll start the new year on the sidelines or not.

Kayshon Boutte is back for a second year after an unremarkable rookie season. The ex-LSU Tiger's outlook became unclear after he was arrested earlier this offseason due to illegal gambling stemming from his collegiate days. But the Patriots have been committed to doing what they can to get him back on track.

Jalen Reagor is another WR on the roster bubble likely fighting for his job. While Reagor is a solid returner when he's on his game, he's unreliable as a pass-catcher to the point that few fans would be shocked if he's cut in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, David Wallis is attempting to crack the Patriots roster as an undrafted rookie. While he didn't see any targets as a receiver in his preseason debut, the former Randolph-Macon product did record a 24-yard kick return and 36 more yards on two punt returns.

Other offseason additions — like Kawaan Baker and JaQuae Jackson — are also looking to move up the chart.

Besides the top of the order, it's clear that the Patriots' WR depth chart has plenty of room for movement as the preseason continues. We'll see who can take advantage of Smith-Schuster's release in the meantime.

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