K.J. Osborn's next team after Patriots release feels painfully obvious

The rise and fall of K.J. Osborn in New England was not a storyline anyone thought would happen this season, especially as the long wide receiver signed in free agency earlier this year. The former Viking was expected to be a big part of the offense for Jacoby Brissett and Drake Maye, only to fall into oblivion not long after the season began.

His impressive career in Minnesota playing behind Justin Jefferson felt like a lifetime ago. His struggles, combined with his frustrations, resulted in the Patriots making him a healthy scratch for much of the year, inevitably leading to his release on Tuesday.

It was one of the more predictable moves the Patriots made this year, but maybe not as predictable as the team that will almost certainly decide to pick up Osborn now that he's available.

That team is the Los Angeles Chargers.

It seems obvious that K.J. Osborn will be an LA Charger this week

They were one of the few teams that expressed interest in trading for Osborn before the deadline last month, but they either backed out before completing a deal or the Patriots decided they didn't want to move the wide receiver for whatever reason. Because they didn't plan to use him on offense much, it doesn't make sense that they didn't try to receive compensation for him, but now they'll get nothing in return instead.

That gives the Chargers a big opportunity now to add to their injured receiving corps and boost their chances of making the playoffs in the final stretch of the season.

Given that Osborn has an impressive career history with the Vikings, having recorded 158 receptions for 1,845 yards and 15 touchdowns playing behind Justin Jefferson, he should easily make an impact immediately upon arriving in Southern California.

It's clear Justin Herbert needs the help, and Osborn is coming off a lot of rest and a healthy season, with the motivation to make a big splash with a new team. It could also lead to a long-term contract depending on how he plays, and because the Chargers are a yearly contender, that might make him play even harder to stay beyond the season's final four games.

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