The Washington Commanders have added a veteran wideout to its roster with the final stretch of the 2024 regular season. With Noah Brown likely out for the remainder of the season, the team has claimed K.J. Osborn off of waivers.
Osborn, 27, was released by the Patriots on Monday after signing with New England this past offseason. He caught just seven passes and one touchdown during his brief time there.
While his time with the Patriots was uneventful, Osborn made an impact during his years with the Vikings, who selected him in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL Draft. During his final three years in Minnesota, Osborn caught 158 passes and 15 touchdowns. Osborn caught a career-high seven touchdowns during the 2021 season.
A deep threat during his years in Minnesota, Osborn will now look to develop a rapport with Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, who has enjoyed a phenomenal start to his NFL career. Daniels' play so far has been one of the main reasons why the Commanders are 8-5 and have the inside track to garner one of the NFC's three wild-card playoff spots.
As noted above, the acquisition of Osborn was likely due to the news that Brown will likely miss the remainder of the season with a "significant internal injury," according to head coach Dan Quinn. Brown, who previously played for the Cowboys and Texans, is currently third on the Commanders in both receptions and receiving yards. He caught the game-winning, Hail Mary pass during the final seconds of Washington's win over the Bears back in Week 8.
"This one hurts," Quinn said when discussing Brown's injury, via ESPN. "We loved him and his play style. Absolutely one of our glue guys."
