Tag: K.J. Osborn

Zulgad: Should Vikings be concerned about Justin Jefferson’s absence from OTAs?

The Minnesota Vikings star wide receiver Justin Jefferson isn’t at OTAs, but should they be concerned? @jzulgad breaks it down.

The Minnesota Vikings’ Organized Team Activity practice on Tuesday marked the second consecutive week a session was open to the media. It also marked the second consecutive OTA at which star wide receiver Justin Jefferson was absent.

Jefferson, who according to fellow wide receiver K.J. Osborn has been working out in Florida, isn’t obligated to attend OTAs, but it is noteworthy when a top player is absent for multiple workouts. Defensive end Danielle Hunter and running back Dalvin Cook fall into this category, but Hunter is looking for a contract extension and Cook is waiting to be traded, released or return to Minnesota on a pay cut.

So what’s going on with Jefferson?

“For me, I hope to see him as soon as possible,” Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said Tuesday. “I think our participation amongst the whole team (at OTAs) has been so good that we’re able to get great work in. Would love to have him here, obviously. But I think as we work towards minicamp we’ll have a real clean-cut plan of what that looks like, hopefully get him some work, and I know a lot of the guys will be excited to see him.”

Jefferson has two years remaining on his rookie deal, but that doesn’t mean this doesn’t have something to do with his contract. Jefferson is due a base salary of $2.399 million this season and $19.7 million on his fifth-year option in 2024.

The 24-year-old is eligible for a contract extension this offseason that promises to be one of the NFL’s richest. Jefferson deserves it. The 22nd pick in the 2020 draft, Jefferson led the league in receptions (128) and yards (1,809) last season and has 324 catches for 4,825 yards with 25 touchdowns in 50 games and 48 starts over his first three seasons.

Jefferson isn’t just one of the NFL’s best receivers, he is one of the league’s most dynamic players. It wouldn’t be surprising if Jefferson’s representatives are looking to make him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the league.

Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald currently is the highest-paid non-QB with an average annual salary of $31.7 million per season. Miami’s Tyreek Hill is the highest-paid wide receiver at $30 million a year.

Discussions between Jefferson’s reps and the Vikings have been ongoing, but working out a contract this big often takes time and back-and-forth negotiations as each side tries to get the best deal. Jefferson could have decided he isn’t going to take any risks running through offseason workouts.

The ideal situation would be for an agreement to be done by the Vikings’ two-day mandatory minicamp on June 13 and 14. The Vikings would have the right to fine him, if he elects not to attend. That would make this one of the NFL’s big offseason stories. Right now, it’s only one worth monitoring, both inside and outside of TCO Performance Center.

The good news is that the lines of communication remain open between the Vikings best player and head coach.

“It’s one of those things that, we’ve had great dialogue throughout the offseason,” O’Connell said. “A lot of that will stay between Justin and I, but I just know he’s getting good work wherever he’s spending his offseason. (I) look forward to having him here when he decides to come up, and I know his teammates will be excited about that.”

Judd Zulgad is co-host of the Purple Daily Podcast and Mackey & Judd podcast at www.skornorth.com

Zulgad: K.J. Osborn knows that in the NFL, “they’re always looking to replace you”

After having a breakout season in 2022, K.J. Osborn knows a lot is on the line in his contract year writes @jzulgad.

The Vikings’ addition of Jordan Addison with their first-round pick in last month’s draft has been celebrated as a move that won’t just give the team another quality receiver but also will create valuable room for superstar Justin Jefferson to operate. It’s what the Vikings hoped Adam Thielen would be able to do last season before injuries and the aging process took their toll on the one-time standout.

Combine the Jefferson and Addison pairing with a full season of tight end T.J. Hockenson and coach/play-caller Kevin O’Connell and quarterback Kirk Cousins are expecting the Vikings’ scoring offense to shoot from eighth into the top five in 2023.

One of the interesting things about Addison’s addition — O’Connell called him a Day 1 starter in a draft-night video posted by the Vikings — is what it will mean for K.J. Osborn?

The Vikings will talk about the competition for the No. 2 job at wide receiver, but it’s Addison’s to lose. This doesn’t mean Osborn won’t play.

Injuries are inevitable and O’Connell used three wide receiver sets on 74 percent of plays last season, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. That number will be interesting to track this year after the Vikings signed tight end Josh Oliver from Baltimore in free agency. Oliver is an outstanding blocker and the Vikings want to improve a run game that finished tied for 27th in the NFL last season with the Rams.

That means the Vikings will more often use two tight ends and a running back in certain formations to create confusion about their intentions and also provide more assistance to the running game.

The Vikings’ consistent use of 11 personnel in 2022 — one running back, one tight end and three wide receivers — was a big reason Osborn had career highs in targets (90) and receptions (60). He had 650 yards receiving and five touchdowns, trailing the 655 yards and seven TDs he had in 2021.

The one thing the Vikings know Osborn isn’t going to do is pout. He has too much to lose financially by taking it personally that his team didn’t think he could assume Thielen’s role. Plus, Osborn isn’t new to having to prove himself.

He was taken in the fifth round of the 2020 draft by former Vikings general manager Rick Spielman and plugged into the kick return role. He averaged 21.6 yards on 14 kick returns and 3.9 yards on seven punt returns as a rookie.

Osborn, who will turn 26 on June 10, wasn’t on the field for one offensive snap in nine games. That changed in 2021. Osborn did not return a kick and only four punts, but an impressive training camp earned him a role on 68 percent of the offensive snaps.

That figure increased to 75 percent last season as he played in all 17 games for the second year in a row. Osborn will be a free agent after this season and has plenty of motivation to prove he’s capable of taking on an expanded role. Whether that be in Minnesota, or elsewhere.

Asked if he had a chip on his shoulder, Osborn acknowledged, “huge, huge.”

“It’s not just the draft,” he said. “It’s the NFL. They’re always looking to replace you. To me, it’s about respect, man. I want to earn my respect. … I was a fifth-round pick. I was a two-star recruit. I came from the (Mid-American Conference). If they draft somebody, didn’t draft somebody, I’m trying to prove to myself. Not to everybody else. I want to prove myself right. I don’t care about any doubters, or haters. My standard is higher than any fan or any coach in this building, for myself.”

Osborn, who transferred to the University of Miami in 2019 after playing four seasons for the University of Buffalo in the MAC, has done an impressive job of proving himself and has become one of Cousins’ trusted targets.

He looks at this situation as just another chance for him to overcome the odds.

“That’s who I am, though, so adding a contract year, some big things going on around here, it’s even more exciting,” Osborn said. “That just fuels me that much more.”

Judd Zulgad is co-host of the Purple Daily Podcast and Mackey & Judd podcast at www.skornorth.com

Former Vikings WR Adam Thielen believes K.J. Osborn is a WR1 in the NFL

During an appearance on the Purple Insider Podcast, Adam Thielen said that he believes K.J. Osborn is a future WR1 in the NFL.

Former Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen has been around a ton of wide receivers during his nine-year career.

Thielen saw the growth of former Vikings wide receiver Stefon Diggs, who joined the team in 2015, and even saw how impactful Justin Jefferson can be first-hand.

Thielen, now with the Carolina Panthers, recently joined the Purple Insider podcast, where he offered praise for another Vikings wide receiver: K.J. Osborn.

“I think everyone’s been a little bit wrong about K.J. I just think that he is a WR1 in this league. And I think he has so much talent,” Thielen said. “I think his attitude and his effort, the way he approaches every single day, his mindset is one of the best I’ve ever been around.”

Osborn, a fifth-round pick in 2020, has been a reliable target for Kirk Cousins and the offense. Last season, the former Miami Hurricane surpassed the 600-yard mark for the second time in his career.

With Thielen no longer with the team, Osborn’s workload could increase next season, allowing him to have a more prominent role with the offense. While Thielen’s statement might be a little hyperbolic, expecting a better season from Osborn shouldn’t be too much to ask.

4 Vikings that could lose their starting job in 2023

After an eventful offseason so far, @TheKevinFielder highlights 4 Minnesota Vikings who could lose their starting jobs this season.

As the Minnesota Vikings begin their transition, multiple players could see their starting spot in jeopardy.

Although the Vikings were quiet in free agency, they did make a few signings that could push incumbent starters out of their spot on the depth chart. The Vikings also drafted six players, including two players in the secondary.

Ultimately, the Vikings’ depth chart can best be described as uncertain because of multiple open position battles that will take place.

Here are four Minnesota Vikings who could lose their starting spot during the 2023 season.

Minnesota Vikings have 37 projected free agents in 2024

As Kwesi Adofo-Mensah works to continue building out the roster, he will have a ton of flexibility with 37 projected free agents in 2024.

Ever since general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah took over as the Minnesota Vikings general manager, they have been keeping things incredibly fluid with their roster. By doing so, it gives the team ultimate flexibility to build the roster in their image by bringing in new talent or extending players already in the building.

It can also be a detriment. The Vikings currently have $25,833,741 in projected 2024 cap space per Over The Cap, but that can shrink considerably with extensions for players that have a considerable amount of dead money.

As we take a big-picture look at the Vikings heading into the 2023 season, they will have 37 projected free agents after the season.

Kevin O’Connell discusses wide receiver room with Adam Thielen now gone

On Tuesday at the NFL’s Owners Meeting, Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell gave his thoughts on the wide receiver room.

At the NFL’s annual league meetings on Tuesday, Minnesota Vikings’ Head Coach, Kevin O’Connell, shared his thoughts with the media regarding the team’s wide receiver room, following the departure of Adam Thielen.

“Always a great starting point when you mention Justin Jefferson. He’ll always be our number one, he’ll always be our guy that we’re trying to a pass game around.”

It’s no surprise that O’Connell is continuing to give Jefferson a glowing endorsement. It’s been the theme all offseason since Jefferson established his place atop the NFL and led the league in yards and receptions last season.

The concern with the wide receiver room isn’t about Jefferson, it’s about the other receivers on the depth chart. O’Connell doesn’t appear to be concerned especially as it pertains to K.J. Osborn.

“The versatility he has and really how he understands; he’s a really smart player, understands how he pairs with Justin and trying to beat some of that coverage that Justin tends to see.”

O’Connell’s praise for Osborn proves that he’s comfortable with him having a significant role behind Jefferson this upcoming season. O’Connell also elaborated on the roles he envisions for Jalen Nailor and Jalen Reagor.

“Excited for a guy like Jalen Nailor and Jalen Reagor, to get a chance to really compete and have the ability in year two to play multiple spots, and handle that, which is really really important”

Overall, it seems that O’Connell is confident in the players currently on the roster. That confidence doesn’t necessarily mean that the Vikings won’t consider adding someone in the draft. Given the talent at wide receiver in this draft class, it would be wise to keep the door open.

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Vikings wide receiver K.J. Osborn signs with new agency

On Wednesday it was announced that Minnesota #Vikings wide receiver KJ Osborn has recently signed with a new agency, WME Sports

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver K.J. Osborn has recently signed with a new agency, WME Sports. The move comes at an important time for Osborn, as he is entering the final year of his contract with the Vikings. The new agency is sure to be working hard to secure the best possible deal for Osborn, who has shown great potential on the field in his young career.

WME Sports tweeted a statement regarding the signing:

“We are proud to announce we have signed Minnesota Vikings WR, KJ Osborn. KJ is one of the brightest young stars in the NFL. Since coming to Minnesota, he has taken the league by storm, earning himself the nickname league wide as, ‘Mr. Clutch.’ Welcome to the fam, KJ!”

Overall, the signing with WME Sports is an important move for KJ Osborn as he enters a contract year with the Minnesota Vikings. The agency’s reputation and resources could help him secure a lucrative deal in the near future.

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Vikings WR K.J. Osborn shared a powerful ‘right place’ note after saving someone from a burning car

What a beautiful and heroic story.

K.J. Osborn is known primarily for playing football, but his heroic deed in an awful situation last Sunday is rightfully getting a lot more attention.

As he would detail with ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Minnesota Vikings WR rescued a person from a burning car. Per Osborn, he had been riding in the back of an Uber when his driver noticed someone had crashed their vehicle on the side of the road. Osborn, the driver, and two others jumped into the fray to help. Osborn maintained he didn’t know the extent of the person’s injuries but believed their intervention saved his life.

On Tuesday, Osborn, while being interviewed on Good Morning Football, described the situation as something that “definitely puts your mind in different places.”

Osborn likely referenced the uplifting message he shared on his Twitter Monday night. The wideout had shared a few photos of the vehicle and crash scene. More importantly, he discussed his reaction on the fly to just be there for another human in their moment of need.

Wow. How special. That will stop you in your tracks.

Let’s rewind the critical part of that quote:

“Most of the time, the saying goes, ‘wrong place, wrong time.’ But this time, I believe God had me, us, at the right place at the exact right time.”

Indeed. Sometimes it is just about being in the right place at the right time for another person.

Grading the Vikings 2020 NFL draft class

With three seasons in the books, let’s reflect on the 2020 NFL draft class

Now that we are three years removed from the 2020 NFL draft class, we can start to get a semblance of what they are as professional football players.

Why do you need three years before you fully grade out a class? It’s simple. The development of young players takes time. The college game is competitive, but also incredibly different. The speed and spacing of the game is different on a significant level.

Now that the class has had three seasons to adjust to the NFL game, we can properly assess if the Vikings picked good players at each of their 15 picks.

4 Minnesota Vikings get performance based raises

After playing in the league for three season, four Vikings draft picks from 2020 received performance-based raises

When the National Football League instituted the rookie wage scale in 2011, it was just about first-round picks. That leveled off how much rookies would make on their first contract.

In the 2020 CBA, the league set up provisions for when non-first-round picks outperform their contract, they get raised to compensate for their performance on the field.

According to Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press, the NFL Players Association came out  with those figures today and four Vikings saw raises.

  • LG Ezra Cleveland: $1.365 million to $2.99 million
  • CB Cam Dantzler: $1.154 million to $2.743 millino
  • OLB D.J. Wonnum: $1.01 million to $2.743 million
  • WR K.J. Osborn: $1.01 million to $2.743 million

These escalators are available to second-round picks and later and have levels, which are based on playing time and Pro Bowl selections.

Over The Cap had the Vikings a shade above $23 million over the salary cap with these already factored into their projections. In essence, they aren’t adding any extra money to the salary cap.

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