EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — There's hardly a less heralded role in an NFL offense than the run-blocking tight end, in light of the evolution of the position that has planted sleek pass-catchers routinely capable of beating safeties in one-on-one matchups up the seam all over the league.
With the Minnesota Vikings, there's no shortage of celebration of the value Josh Oliver contributes.
“Josh is the best blocking tight end in the league, and that’s no disrespect to anyone else,” offensive coordinator Wes Phillips said. “For everyone who wants to use that as fuel, go ahead. I can’t say I’ve studied each one that intently. There’s some good ones out there, but we’ll take Josh over anybody in this league in the role that he’s in.”
After the ground game lagged badly in 2022 in coach Kevin O'Connell's first season, the Vikings made an effort to build a more rugged and heavier rushing attack. Oliver was one of their primary targets in free agency, a player listed at 6-foot-5 and 259 pounds who's just starting to come into his own.
While the running game was only marginally improved in 2023, the Vikings with the arrival of Aaron Jones have finally begun to make the gains they need to in order for opponents to at least have to weigh the pros and cons of loading up pass coverage to slow Justin Jefferson at the expense of a lighter box near the line of scrimmage.
Oliver has been one of the driving forces in the Vikings' improved running game, particularly while top tight end T.J. Hockenson missed the first seven games to finish his rehab from knee surgery.
“Josh is one of those guys who, once he gets his hands on you, it’s kind of, ‘Good luck,’” Hockenson said. “He’s just a superhuman. It is incredible. It’s a lot of fun to be able to have him by our side.”
Oliver signed a three-year contract in 2023 worth as much as $21 million. His salary cap hit of about $6.1 million this season is scheduled to rise to about $9.4 million in 2025, before he would hit free agency again.
Drafted by Jacksonville in the third round out of San Jose State in 2019, Oliver played sparingly as a rookie and spent the 2020 season on injured reserve after breaking his foot. He was traded to Baltimore the following year and played two years with the Ravens before bolting for Minnesota.
The Vikings play at the Jaguars this week, matching Oliver against his original team. He's coming off a strong performance against Indianapolis, in which he had a career-high five catches for 58 yards, his highest yardage total in two years with Minnesota. He scored a touchdown for a second straight game as the Vikings beat the Colts.
“I was just getting a lot of opportunities, and I was just able to take advantage of them," Oliver said. "That’s just the way the ball was going.”
Oliver's surehandedness and crisp route-running ability can only make the offense more versatile and productive, but his value will always trace back to blocking. Sometimes the Vikings believe he's been unfairly flagged for holding because of his superior strength.
“I don’t think they’re used to seeing a guy on the edge put a defensive end on his back,” Phillips said. “He’s moving humans, large men, and putting them on the ground. It’s been a big part of why we’ve been able to have some success on the ground.”
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Dave Campbell, The Associated Press
