The Chargers showed interest in veteran wide receivers this offseason, doing so after cutting ties with the seven-year Keenan Allen–Mike Williams tandem. Although Jim Harbaugh is in the process of turning around yet another team, it is back in the WR market.
In addition to showing interest in reacquiring Williams, the Bolts have one of the available Patriots pass catchers on their radar. The AFC West club is believed to be in the K.J. Osborn market, per the Boston Sports Journal’s Mike Giardi. With Allen Lazard‘s injury perhaps giving the Jets cold feet on moving Williams, interested teams need to have backup plans.
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It is unclear if a trade market will truly form, though Giardi points to other teams being open to adding the former Vikings slot receiver as well. The Patriots gave Osborn a one-year, $4MM deal in free agency. They are shopping the fifth-year veteran but have also been linked to merely cutting him after the deadline if no deal comes to fruition. For the season, Osborn has just seven receptions for 57 yards.
Were Osborn to be cut following today’s 3pm CT deadline, his vested-veteran status would no longer protect him from waivers. All players cut hit the wire if they are dropped after the deadline, opening the door to Osborn being unable to pick his next team. He is tied to just a $1.18MM base salary, which would not do too much to dissuade an interested team from claiming him. This prospect could convince a team to send a low-level compensation package the Patriots’ way.
Osborn, 27, fared better in Minnesota. He totaled 655 receiving yards and seven touchdowns in 2021 and nearly matched those totals in 2022 (650, five) to help the Vikings win the NFC North. Osborn caught 48 passes for 540 yards last season, one that featured four Minnesota starting QBs due to Kirk Cousins‘ midseason Achilles tear.
The Pats appear OK moving Kendrick Bourne or former second-rounder Tyquan Thornton as well. The team pursued big-ticket WR upgrades this offseason but did not add one. Still, the Pats drafted two receivers (Ja’Lynn Polk, Javon Baker) and have Demario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte rostered.
The Chargers have centered their first post-Allen/Williams passing attack around second-rounder Ladd McConkey; the Pats traded down with the Bolts to give them McConkey access at No. 34. Josh Palmer is currently with the team, but the Chargers may be open to trading the former third-round pick due to the free agent-to-be not being in their 2025 plans. Los Angeles hosted a few receivers this offseason but settled on DJ Chark, who has missed much of this season due to injury.