The New England Patriots answered who the worst team in the NFL is, as they dropped a 32-16 loss against an abysmal Jacksonville Jaguars team. After the game, head coach Jerod Mayo said the team was “soft“, and it’s hard to argue against that assessment. The once-great franchise allowed Jacksonville to run the ball on 18 consecutive plays while the wide receiver room is overflowing with drama that never saw the light of day during the Bill Belichick Era. Wide receiver K.J. Osborn caught a touchdown during the loss, but the actions of he and his agent could lead to a trade.
NFL agent Brandon Abdala took to Instagram after his client, Patriots WR K.J. Osborn, caught a touchdown on Sunday.
"From being told you would be inactive Wednesday and only taking 3 reps all week in practice.. to being told you’re activated at 11pm on Saturday night" https://t.co/8cECKKTiw8
— Bernd Buchmasser (@BerndBuchmasser) October 20, 2024
In the post above, Osborn’s agent revealed that the veteran wide receiver was supposed to be a healthy scratch and promised to help the wideout “figure out this situation.” It’s clear Osborn isn’t happy in New England and would probably welcome a trade. While the former Minnesota Viking has largely been a liability throughout the season, New England could use the trade to show that this type of attitude won’t fly. Even if it’s just for a conditional seventh-round pick or as part of a bigger package, New England could send the wideout to the Carolina Panthers or Los Angeles Chargers.
“Soft” Patriots Could Send Message With K.J. Osborn Trade
The Carolina Panthers are one of the few teams left who could challenge New England for the title of worst team in the league. While Andy Dalton brought some temporary life to the passing attack, the team reverted to their norm over the past few weeks. Fresh off a 40-7 dismantling at the hands of Marcus Mariota’s Washington Commanders (not a typo), Carolina is embracing the tank and won’t be interested in a standalone K.J. Osborn trade. However, they could add him as part of a larger deal.
Carolina traded for Diontae Johnson hoping that he could turn into Bryce Young’s safety blanket. That didn’t happen, as Young only made two starts in 2024. With Johnson set to reach the open market at the end of the season, Carolina should maximize their return and send him to whoever is willing to give the best draft pick. While the Patriots aren’t contenders, first-round pick Drake Maye looks the part of a franchise quarterback. Acquiring Diontae Johnson will give Maye a legitimate weapon, and New England has the cap space to re-sign him. In exchange, the Patriots could trade K.J. Osborn and a mid-round pick for his services.
More Help For Justin Herbert
The Los Angeles Chargers enter their Monday Night Football matchup against the Arizona Cardinals with a solid 3-2 record. Under head coach Jim Harbaugh, this team has won games the old-fashioned way with reliable defense and a strong running game. However, you can’t completely ignore the forward pass, especially when second-round pick Ladd McConkey and 2023 first-round pick Quentin Johnston are both battling injuries. This wide receiver room was already one of the worst in the NFL, and a K.J. Osborn trade could help keep the ship afloat while the youngster works their way back to being 100%.
K.J. Osborn is nothing more than a depth receiver at this stage of his career, but that’s perfect for a team like the Chargers. Los Angeles is not an elite contender, so they shouldn’t mortgage the future for a big-name option. Rather than giving up a mid-round pick for someone like Diontae Johnson or Christian Kirk, Los Angeles might feel more comfortable with a low-risk, medium-reward K.J. Osborn trade.
Main Photo: Peter van den Berg – USA Today Sports
