The Patriots waived veteran wideout K.J. Osborn on Tuesday, according to a source.

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Osborn ends his only season in New England after seven game appearances, seven catches, 57 yards and a touchdown. He played in just one of the Patriots’ last five games, often sitting as a healthy scratch. The former Viking signed a $1-year, $4 million contract in free agency last March and started the team’s season opener, but tumbled down the depth chart due to poor performance.

Osborn, 27, was also floated in trade talks last month, and seemed open to leaving New England. His release has been reported elsewhere as a mutual decision. Osborn addressed trade rumors in late October when he was asked whether he wants to traded.

“It’s like an alley oop,” he said of a trade request. “This is where I am. This is the place I signed to be. A lot of things are out of my control, but I would like to be where my feet are. So today I’m here. So now I’ll rock with it as it goes.”

He leaves behind Kendrick Bourne, DeMario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte and rookies Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker on the team’s receiver depth chart. All 31 other teams can claim Osborn off waivers in the next 24 hours.

His absence likely opens a door for Patriots offensive lineman Cole Strange to be activated off injured reserve. Strange must either be added to the active roster this week or he will revert to IR and miss the rest of the season. The former first-round pick spent most of the season rehabbing from a torn patellar tendon, then started practicing in mid-November.

Patriots coach Jerod Mayo said the team must learn more about Strange over its final four games, as well as Polk, Baker and offensive tackle Caedan Wallace, another rookie. Wallace returned to practice Monday.

The Patriots will hit the field again Wednesday as they begin preparing for this weekend’s kickoff at Arizona.