After Super Bowl LVIII, newly hired offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak of the New Orleans Saints will take up his formal role with the organisation. Earlier this month, Kubiak, the 49ers’ passing game coordinator, was brought in to take Pete Carmichael’s spot.
The offensive staff still needs to fill a few positions. The positions of RB coach, QB coach, WR coach, and offensive line coach are all open. As he becomes comfortable with his new offensive players, Kubiak will probably have a voice in those hires. It will also be free agency in a little more than a month.
Because of the salary cap, it is not anticipated that the Saints will make a significant splash in free agency. On the other hand, you’ve been living under a rock for the past ten years if you believe that the team won’t be able to rearrange and restructure contracts in order to free up cap space and recruit players.
Keeping that in mind, keep in mind that the Saints will have new offensive coordinators and a new system in place by 2024. It is customary to add players who know the system well or who are connected to the coaches.
A fifth-round choice in the 2020 NFL Draft out of Miami (Fl.), Osborn has spent his whole four-year career with the Minnesota Vikings. Osborn saw limited play as a rookie, but in the last three seasons, he has 158 receptions for 1,845 yards and 15 touchdowns. In 2023, he caught 48 catches for 540 yards and 3 touchdowns.
In 2021, Osborn caught 50 catches on 82 targets for 655 yards and seven touchdowns, making it his most prolific year to date. Klint Kubiak was Minnesota’s offensive coordinator that year. It’s also important to remember that in 2020, the year the Vikings selected Osborn, Kubiak was their quarterback coach.
Osborn, a surprisingly physical receiver who can operate well through a defense’s intermediate zones, is 5’11” and 203 pounds. He can be used both inside and outside the spot and is comfortable serving as an offensive teammate. For a New Orleans squad losing wide receiver Michael Thomas this offseason, he might be a great possession target and third receiver.
Kubiak’s rushing strategy is based on a one-cut zone blocking concept that dates back to Mike Shanahan and his father, Gary Kubiak. This is a system that depends on tandem blocking from players who are familiar with it and on athletic lineman.
