In addition to playing alongside Justin Jefferson, one of the league’s best wide receivers, KJ Osborn has also caught passes from star quarterback Kirk Cousins for four seasons.
Osborn, who signed with the Patriots after four seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, recently mentioned rookie quarterback Drake Maye in the same breath as Cousins. Osborn’s sentiments came through when he discussed Maye’s ball placement, specifically referring to a play in which Maye distracted Osborn from opposing contact.
It’s one of the moments he’s seen of Maye.
“I think that’s what good quarterbacks do,” Osborn told reporters, according to a video provided by the team. “When I talk about my past, that’s something I’ve always talked about with Kirk (Cousins) – just, I’m not going to get you killed.”
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“I think you’ve heard Tom Brady talk about it. In football today, it’s up to the quarterback not to kill guys. So the ball can be behind you and people say, ‘Oh, he threw a bad ball.’ But he’s trying not to kill the guy. He wants you to catch it and go down. Things like that, the flashes you see (from Maye), I like.”
Osborn is optimistic about the third pick, who has already played many days in a row, including New England’s preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles last week. The veteran wideout has seen Maye play faster and with more confidence.
“Drake has a different kind of confidence and leadership. He’s a freshman and he’s still learning, but he’s also a quarterback and a very smart guy,” Osborn said. “He’s definitely making progress.”
Osborn pointed to the questions Maye has asked off the field and the “opportunity balls” he has thrown to Osborn on the field as examples of Maye’s development. He speaks with Maye regularly in the locker room and has taken note of the types of questions Maye asks.
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“Most of it is how he wants to pass me the ball against a certain defense. Or it might be an opportunity ball, and it might not be the cleanest look because we’re on the field, but he’s telling me, ‘Hey, in this little window of opportunity that I have, I might put it on your back shoulder. I might put it up so you can do this or that.’ Everything out there is strategic. I think he does that well.”
Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo said Maye’s teammates have noticed his development and confidence as he advances into his first training camp. Mayo seems to be close to them, as evidenced by opening the door to the quarterback competition when it seemed to be closed.
