For A J. Osborn, the writing was on the wall in the first round of the 2023 draft when Jordan Addison was selected by the Minnesota Vikings.
Given that, Osborn, who is about to enter the last year of his contract, is not likely to resign.
A. J.
The Hockenson extension and Justin Jefferson’s impending massive contract will take up a large amount of cap room. Addison appears to be a resounding no already.
On a reduced rookie contract, wide receiver number two will play next to Jefferson for at least the next four seasons.
The Vikings won’t outbid wide receiver-needy teams for Osborn, who will probably command interest in free agency this offseason.
In order to obtain some draft capital in exchange for the 2020 fifth-round pick that was invested in Osborn, the Vikings were advised by KSTP’s Darren Wolfson to trade Osborn before the NFL trade deadline on October 31.
“As soon as Jordan Addison was selected, we knew that K.
A.
J. Osborn was leaving, saying that this is K’s last year.
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During SKOR North’s October 19 “Mackey and Judd” podcast, Wolfson stated, “Osborn here in Minnesota.”.
“Go make that play, whether it’s for a three, four, or five.
It seems highly reasonable to me. “.
Wolfson continued by saying that Osborn, who might fetch a third- or fifth-round selection, would make sense to sign with the Houston Texans and Los Angeles Chargers.
WR for the Vikings.
A.J. Osborn is expected to earn almost $10 million in free agency each year.
Prior to the NFC Wild Card Playoff Game between the Minnesota Vikings and the New York Giants in January 2023, Osborn warms up.
Despite a difficult start to his rookie season, Osborn has performed better than anticipated given his fifth-round draft status.
In 2020, Osborn lost his punt return role and did not participate in any offensive snaps.
However, he quickly assumed the No. After Jefferson and Adam Thielen, the third wide receiver spot for the following campaign.
After that, he has remained constant.
Over the last two seasons, Osborn averaged 55 receptions and 652.5 yards of receiving.
In that time, he has scored 12 touchdowns overall, demonstrating a fondness for clutch plays.
In 2021, he scored a walk-off touchdown in Carolina, and in 2022, he scored the game-winning touchdown with 45 seconds left in a Week 3 victory over the Detroit Lions.
A contract worth $9.05 million a year was estimated by Over The Cap to be worth Osborn’s value in free agency; if Osborn receives an offer of that magnitude, Minnesota might not be willing to match that price.
Vikings Will Need to Fill a Lot of Roster Spots in 2024.
Although Minnesota will have approximately $56 million in cap space to work with the following offseason, the roster turnover will force many tough choices and the release of some starting-caliber talent.
Kirk Cousins, Danielle Hunter, Marcus Davenport, Jordan Hicks, and Ezra Cleveland are the other five starters whose contracts are up, including Osborn.
For any front office, let alone one that has to guarantee that Jefferson is among the highest-paid players in the league the following season, signing two pass rushers and maybe a quarterback is an expensive shopping list.
Since just 39 players have contracts that expire in 2023, the Vikings will also need to add depth to their roster.
To prepare for a roster overhaul, Minnesota needs to decide whether to retain some of these players or whether to recover some draft capital.