Post by Purple Pain on Jan 10, 2023 10:38:38 GMT -6
Should Thielen stay or should he go?
Goessling: With many jobs, K.J. Osborn is 'as explosive and reliable as anybody' the Vikings have
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Goessling: With many jobs, K.J. Osborn is 'as explosive and reliable as anybody' the Vikings have
Kirk Cousins finished his fifth season as the Vikings' starting quarterback on Sunday. In that time, he has completed 20 passes that have gained at least 50 yards.
The two receivers who have caught the most passes of 50-plus yards from Cousins aren't a big surprise: Justin Jefferson and Stefon Diggs have five each. But the third name on the list — who now has four 50-plus catches after hauling in the fourth-longest pass of Cousins' time with the Vikings — might be a surprise.
It's K.J. Osborn, whose 66-yard catch on the Vikings' first drive of Sunday's 29-13 victory at Chicago was the team's longest completion of the regular season. He finished the day with five catches for 117 yards, surpassing 100 yards for the second time in his career and ending the regular season with 60 catches. Osborn became the fourth Vikings receiver to catch at least 60 passes this year, after T.J. Hockenson (who has only been with the team for two months) caught his 60th pass of the season for Minnesota on Sunday.
The 2022 Vikings are the first team in franchise history with four receivers that caught 60 passes, and the ninth team in NFL history with at least that many.
All four of Osborn's deep catches are actually over 60 yards; he caught a 64-yarder for a touchdown early in the Vikings' Week 2 loss to the Cardinals last year, had a 62-yarder last December against the Steelers and caught a 64-yarder against the Colts last month. His catch on Sunday came out of a bunch set with Hockenson and Jefferson running routes to occupy the Bears' underneath defenders.
The two receivers who have caught the most passes of 50-plus yards from Cousins aren't a big surprise: Justin Jefferson and Stefon Diggs have five each. But the third name on the list — who now has four 50-plus catches after hauling in the fourth-longest pass of Cousins' time with the Vikings — might be a surprise.
It's K.J. Osborn, whose 66-yard catch on the Vikings' first drive of Sunday's 29-13 victory at Chicago was the team's longest completion of the regular season. He finished the day with five catches for 117 yards, surpassing 100 yards for the second time in his career and ending the regular season with 60 catches. Osborn became the fourth Vikings receiver to catch at least 60 passes this year, after T.J. Hockenson (who has only been with the team for two months) caught his 60th pass of the season for Minnesota on Sunday.
The 2022 Vikings are the first team in franchise history with four receivers that caught 60 passes, and the ninth team in NFL history with at least that many.
All four of Osborn's deep catches are actually over 60 yards; he caught a 64-yarder for a touchdown early in the Vikings' Week 2 loss to the Cardinals last year, had a 62-yarder last December against the Steelers and caught a 64-yarder against the Colts last month. His catch on Sunday came out of a bunch set with Hockenson and Jefferson running routes to occupy the Bears' underneath defenders.
For the season, Osborn finished with a career-high 60 catches for 650 yards and five touchdowns, in a role that had him on the field for 873 snaps (the most of his career) and required him to be an integral part of the run game, blocking from tight splits in the three-receiver sets the Vikings favor.
"One of the things about K.J. is he has so many jobs in our offense," O'Connell said. "His second long completion there down the Bears sideline, he's bluffing as if he's blocking one of our bubble screens or receiver perimeter screens. Gets behind the defense, and Kirk finds him for another big play. His role is an evolving thing, snap in and snap out. He's incredibly valuable to the coaches, but also to the 10 guys in the huddle knowing the different jobs he's going to do. When called upon, he's as explosive and reliable as anybody we have."
He is also on an affordable contract, which could make him an even more important piece of the Vikings' puzzle for 2023.
Osborn is scheduled to count just $1.076 million against the cap next season. Though the NFL's Proven Performance Escalator clause, which rewards late draft picks who have played more snaps than expected, could bump the 2020 seventh-rounder's salary north of $2.5 million, he would still be a bargain among Cousins' group of pass-catchers. Adam Thielen is scheduled to count for $19.96 million against the cap, Hockenson has a guaranteed fifth-year option of $9.33 million and a megadeal for Jefferson is on the horizon. The Vikings could add another pass-catcher in the draft, but they will also count on Osborn's continued development.
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He has earned Cousins' trust and turned himself into one of the Vikings' essential offensive players. On Sunday, Osborn finished his regular season with another reminder he could be the one to come up with a big play in the playoffs.
"Last year, he started showed up more and more, sometimes [by] accident, where he's getting the ball and not expecting it and he's just making plays," Cousins said. "Then this year, [we] give him more, and he's handled it. He shows it in OTAs. He shows it in training camp where you say, 'This guy is the real deal.' I have total confidence in him to do it all as well when it comes to the different things you ask of a receiver."
"One of the things about K.J. is he has so many jobs in our offense," O'Connell said. "His second long completion there down the Bears sideline, he's bluffing as if he's blocking one of our bubble screens or receiver perimeter screens. Gets behind the defense, and Kirk finds him for another big play. His role is an evolving thing, snap in and snap out. He's incredibly valuable to the coaches, but also to the 10 guys in the huddle knowing the different jobs he's going to do. When called upon, he's as explosive and reliable as anybody we have."
He is also on an affordable contract, which could make him an even more important piece of the Vikings' puzzle for 2023.
Osborn is scheduled to count just $1.076 million against the cap next season. Though the NFL's Proven Performance Escalator clause, which rewards late draft picks who have played more snaps than expected, could bump the 2020 seventh-rounder's salary north of $2.5 million, he would still be a bargain among Cousins' group of pass-catchers. Adam Thielen is scheduled to count for $19.96 million against the cap, Hockenson has a guaranteed fifth-year option of $9.33 million and a megadeal for Jefferson is on the horizon. The Vikings could add another pass-catcher in the draft, but they will also count on Osborn's continued development.
...
He has earned Cousins' trust and turned himself into one of the Vikings' essential offensive players. On Sunday, Osborn finished his regular season with another reminder he could be the one to come up with a big play in the playoffs.
"Last year, he started showed up more and more, sometimes [by] accident, where he's getting the ball and not expecting it and he's just making plays," Cousins said. "Then this year, [we] give him more, and he's handled it. He shows it in OTAs. He shows it in training camp where you say, 'This guy is the real deal.' I have total confidence in him to do it all as well when it comes to the different things you ask of a receiver."
... and neither is this Chris guy.