Many headlines have come out of Minnesota Vikings minicamp this year.
J.J. McCarthy is entering his first year as a starter. The Vikings extended head coach Kevin O’Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. How are the new defensive additions faring? Those are just some of the stories drumming up discourse in preparation for the season.
Yet, there’s an essential story that most people have overlooked, but one that offensive coordinator Wes Phillips is keenly aware of.
“No disrespect to anyone else,” Phillips said, “but I think Josh Oliver is the best blocking Y with pass-game value in the NFL.”
On Tuesday, the Vikings extended Oliver for three years, $23.25 million. At $7.75 million a year, they have made him the highest-paid TE2 in the NFL. Minnesota is also paying T.J. Hockenson $16.5 million per season for the next three years. It’s safe to say they aren’t skimping on tight end.
However, doling out that kind of cash is less scary when you consider that Oliver might be the best TE2 in the league.
Since joining the Vikings in 2023, Oliver has continuously excelled in run blocking. PFF gave him a 74.2 grade for the 2024 season, the best among his position by a wide margin. The year before, he graded out at 73.9 to finish fourth-best. Over the past two seasons, his 76.5 grade trails only George Kittle.
Blocking has been a staple of Oliver’s game and the biggest reason Minnesota wanted to retain him. His 6’5”, 260 lb. frame makes him a nightmare matchup for linebackers and defensive linemen. His run-blocking grade was third-best on the Vikings last year, even ahead of some offensive linemen.
“I feel like he doesn’t get the recognition he deserves; essentially, he’s another tackle out there playing,” running back Aaron Jones said. “[Defenders] don’t necessarily know it until he goes to block them. We know it on our side, though, so I’m excited for him, glad to keep him here and continue to run behind him.”
“He’s a vicious guy when it comes to blocking, putting his hand in the dirt,” Jones added. “He’s the best in the league, if you ask me.”
It’s not just run blocking, though. Oliver’s pass protection helped the Vikings finish fifth in the NFL in passing touchdowns and sixth in yards. Outside of a few down games, his PFF pass blocking grades were actually more consistent than his run blocking, turning in a 72 or higher 10 times. He gets fewer opportunities in pass pro because of another wrinkle he’s added to his game: pass catching.
Oliver filled in nicely for Hockenson after a knee injury sidelined him for the end of 2023 and the beginning of 2024. He put up career highs in yards (258) and touchdowns (three) and tied his career high with 22 receptions on 28 targets while essentially being TE1. His 140.8 rating when targeted was second among tight ends last year, trailing only Mark Andrews.
Oliver’s versatility is a valid argument for his contract extension. His AAV may be the highest for a TE2, but it’s only 20th overall among tight ends. For reference, PFF ranked him as the 21st-best tight end heading into 2025, so the money makes sense from that perspective.
Out of the 32 TEs PFF ranked, Oliver was one of three “traditional” TE2s to make the list, joining Isaiah Likely (No. 9) and Noah Gray (No. 28). He also ranked higher than six TE1s who make more money than him, showing that Minnesota’s deal may have been even friendlier than originally thought.
When you look at Oliver as another O-lineman, as Jones described him, his AAV would put him 71st. It’s not a one-to-one comparison. Still, when you look at him as a guy who can provide O-line level blocking while running routes like the best TEs, it seems like a steal for the Vikings.
With the speculation that Minnesota will rely more on the run game this season, locking down one of the best blocking tight ends in the game doesn’t seem like such a bad idea. Oliver was heading into the last year of his deal. Based on what we saw from him last year, there was a chance he could’ve gotten a starting job somewhere else.
Oliver was flying under the radar for too long, and it was time for him to be paid what he was worth.