The Falcons worked out veteran wide receiver K.J. Osborn on Friday, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. No deal has come together, and it’s unclear if the Falcons are considering signing Osborn.
Now 28 years old, Osborn entered the NFL as a fifth-round pick of the Vikings in 2020. After going without a reception in nine games as a rookie, Osborn emerged as a weapon in the Vikings’ Kirk Cousins-led aerial attack from 2021-23. Osborn averaged 53 catches, 615 catches, and five touchdowns per season during that three-year run. He missed just one game and amassed 30 starts along the way.
While Osborn was productive in Minnesota, his success hasn’t transferred elsewhere. He left the Vikings for the Patriots’ one-year, $4MM offer in free agency in March 2024. Osborn wasn’t a fit in New England, though, as he caught just seven passes for 57 yards in seven games with the team.
With his numbers down significantly, Osborn told the Patriots he wanted a trade before last year’s deadline in November. They didn’t find a taker, but the Patriots and Osborn agreed to a mutual parting of ways a month later.
The Commanders claimed Osborn after the Patriots waived him in December. He played only one game with Washington and didn’t catch a pass. Hoping 2024 was an aberration, the Commanders re-signed Osborn last March. They ended up releasing Osborn during final cuts on Aug. 26, and he hasn’t landed elsewhere since then.
Joining the struggling Falcons (3-7) would reunite Osborn with Cousins, who’s taking over as their No. 1 signal-caller for the rest of the season. The Falcons lost starter Michael Penix Jr. to a major knee injury last week. They’ll also go without their No. 1 receiver, Drake London, against the Saints in Week 12. A PCL sprain could shelve London for multiple games.
London’s injury is especially unfortunate for an Atlanta team that has gotten little production from the rest of its wideouts. Darnell Mooney is the team’s only receiver with double-digit catches, having pulled in 16 in eight games. That explains why the Falcons are looking outside for help.