There are four games left to be played during the 2024 season, and the Patriots still have a lot to learn before the 2025 offseason begins. The new regime led by rookie head coach Jerod Mayo has made many mistakes this year, and to some extent, they are given grace due to their inexperience, while others could be deemed unforgivable to some.
One of their more prominent lessons to be learned surrounds their plans for building a formidable roster, especially on the offense. Although they prioritized that group in the draft, there was a noticeable lackluster effort throughout free agency and limited money spent to bring in the talent needed, ultimately leading to most of Drake Maye's struggles.
Besides the apparent issues on the offensive line, the receiving corps has also been a problem and the only player the Patriots signed in free agency was just released.
Adding K.J. Osborn wasn't a bad move for a team needing some veteran experience on offense, but how they incorporated him on game day was not great, which led him to become a healthy scratch. It was a disaster from the start, and it's not a lesson they can overlook when heading into a pivotal offseason.
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Osborn's production during his four years with the Vikings was impressive, even more so when you consider that he played behind Justin Jefferson, one of the NFL's best receivers. Because he was never the WR1 in Minnesota, he seemed like a great player to add to the Patriots receiving corps, as he had been productive no matter who was on the field and was touted as an excellent teammate.
Unfortunately, things never seemed to click in Foxboro, resulting in Osborn expressing his frustrations on social media along with nearly every other receiver on the team. That likely played a part in how his career went this year, which could also explain why the rest of the Patriots receivers, including the rookies, have also lagged behind.
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Whatever the explanation might be, even if some could be blamed on wide receivers coach Tyler Hughes, it doesn't matter because at the end of the day, this type of issue cannot continue into next year, or they risk halting Maye's progression as a quarterback in the NFL.
While deciding to bring in talent for a cheaper price isn't always a bad idea, it can't be the way to build the roster moving forward nor can they settle on solving their mistakes by making those players a healthy scratch for over a month.
There's almost no reason for Osborn not to have been a contributor within this offense, especially during the games Kendrick Bourne was sidelined for, but that's exactly what happened. If the Patriots want to bring in more veterans in the future, which is expected for next year, they need to make sure they pay the right guys and bring in talent that fits what they're trying to do.