Patriots are releasing wide receiver K.J. Osborn
The former Vikings WR signed a one-year, $4 million contract with New England in March.
The Patriots released wide receiver K.J. Osborn and filled his roster spot by activating offensive lineman Cole Strange off the physically unable to perform list.
Osborn, who has been a healthy scratch the past three games, signed a one-year, $4 million contract in March, with hopes of stepping up as a reliable, veteran presence in New England’s young receiver room.
But his role never panned out. Osborn started the first four games, as the passing attack initially struggled with quarterback Jacoby Brissett. Once the Patriots made the change to rookie Drake Maye, the offense leaned more on the trio of DeMario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte, and Kendrick Bourne, along with tight ends Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper.
Since Maye took over as the starter in Week 6, Osborn has appeared in three games. His best performance came against Jacksonville Oct. 20 in London, when he caught two passes for 26 yards and a touchdown. That game accounted for almost half of his production on the season, as he leaves New England with seven catches on 18 targets for 57 yards.
Leading up to the trade deadline in November, Osborn indicated he would prefer to be dealt. The Patriots, though, couldn’t find any value.
New England’s wide receiver room is now down to five players: Douglas, Boutte, Bourne, Ja’Lynn Polk, and Javon Baker. The team also released 2022 second-round pick Tyquan Thornton in November.
Strange, meanwhile, returned to practice Nov. 20 and needed to be activated by Wednesday in order to play this season. The 2022 first-round pick has played primarily at left guard but could get a look at center as the Patriots try to optimize their offensive line for the future.
Statue unveiling on hold
The Patriots are delaying the unveiling of their Tom Brady statue until 2025.
When the organization honored Brady in June, inducting him into the Patriots Hall of Fame and retiring his No. 12, owner Robert Kraft announced plans for a 12-foot bronze statue of Brady to be installed this season in the lower plaza at Patriot Place.
“While we consider the Patriots Hall of Fame the highest individual honor for this franchise, we wanted the greatest to be the first to receive an even greater honor,” Kraft said. “Last year, we commissioned a local sculptor to create a larger-than-life bronze statue to perpetuate the legendary legacy of this once-in-a-lifetime player.”
The original plan was to reveal the statue at the home opener, when members of the Super Bowl XLIX championship team returned for a 10-year reunion. But Fox didn’t assign Brady the game, instead having him call Cowboys-Saints. The hope was to then postpone to the next home game on Fox, Week 5, but the network once again assigned Brady elsewhere.
As a result, the Patriots decided to push back the unveiling, to a game next season or to an offseason date such as the draft or training camp, in order to find a time that allows Brady and his family to be present.
“It will stand alone in the plaza outside of the Hall of Fame to symbolize his position not as the greatest in franchise history but the greatest in all of NFL history,” Kraft said.
Kicking competition?
The Patriots signed kicker John Parker Romo to their practice squad and released linebacker Keshawn Banks. Romo made his NFL debut this year, making 7 of 8 field goal attempts in four games for the Vikings while Will Reichard was on injured reserve.
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