The NFL trade deadline is set for Tuesday, and wideout very well could be a position of focus for Eliot Wolf and company over the next few days. The Patriots currently have too many receivers on their depth chart and a good chunk of them make sense as potential trade candidates.

K.J. Osborn, a fourth-year pass-catch who might be of interest to a contender, certainly fits that mold. But even if New England can’t find a trade for Osborn, it still might cut ties with him.

“One of the top questions is whether five-year veteran K.J. Osborn, who might have trouble breaking through on the game-day roster as the team prioritizes youth, might yield a conditional late-round draft pick in a deal before Tuesday’s trade deadline,” ESPN’s Mike Reiss wrote in a column published Sunday.

“If not, and the health outlook at the position doesn’t change in Sunday’s game, the team might consider helping Osborn — who has been described as a true pro by some in the organization — by simply releasing him.”

Osborn, who signed a one-year deal in New England over the offseason, probably would welcome a change of scenery. He doesn’t seem very happy about his role with the Patriots, who should be prioritizing their younger and inexperienced players in a lost season.

A few playoff-hopeful teams need receiver help, though, so New England might be able to swing a deal for Osborn as opposed to losing him for nothing.