Josh Oliver Is Finally Becoming What Minnesota Envisioned
Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images
One of the biggest storylines ahead of last Sunday’s Minnesota Vikings game was the highly-anticipated return of tight end T.J. Hockenson. Vikings fans waited 315 days for the two-time Pro Bowler to return to action. Given the fact that Hockenson reeled in nine catches for 70 yards in his first-ever game for Minnesota, no one could rule him out for a similarly big game in his return against the Indianapolis Colts’ 26th-ranked pass defense.
Hockenson ultimately had a quiet outing in the Vikings 21-13 win, finishing the game with just three receptions for 27 yards. He wasn’t a game-changer, but after suffering tears in both his ACL and MCL back in December of 2023, there’s no reason to worry about his lack of involvement.
Especially not after fans were treated to a standout performance from tight end Josh Oliver, who caught all five of his targets for 58 yards and a touchdown. Oliver’s touchdown came on a gutsy play call by Kevin O’Connell, where he rolled the dice by dialing up a play-action pass when the Vikings had every incentive to drain the clock late in the fourth quarter. Not only did Oliver’s touchdown help seal the game, it served as proof that Oliver still has a role to play in Minnesota’s post-Hockenson offense.
Josh Oliver caps off his best game of the season with a game-clinching touchdown. He could be the highest graded player on SNF pic.twitter.com/06UoZO976A
— All-22 (@All22_PFF) November 4, 2024
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah signed Oliver to a three-year, $21 million deal back in 2023. The move seemed questionable at first, as he was paid handsomely for a blocking tight end. While Oliver was a great blocker for the Baltimore Ravens, blocking tight ends are a dime a dozen in the NFL.
For example, former Golden Gophers tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford was considered to be one of the best blocking tight ends in the 2024 Draft. Yet the Dallas Cowboys were able to sign him as an undrafted free agent. So why would Minnesota’s analytically forward-thinking general manager pay above market value for a player at an undervalued position? Sure, Oliver is a fantastic blocking tight end and PFF has always loved him, but what separates Oliver from the rest of the pack?
Well, look back at Sunday to find out why. Oliver showed he’s more than the prototypical blocking tight end. Coming out of San Jose State, Oliver was a 6-foot-5, 249-pound behemoth with giant hands (10 3/4″) and a 4.62 40-yard dash time, which fell into the 82nd percentile for tight ends. See, back then he was hailed for his expansive route tree and was viewed as more of a big slot receiver who played tight end.
And his biggest weakness coming out of the draft? That was his blocking.
Oliver was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the third round of the 2019 Draft, but it was in Baltimore where he came into his own as an elite blocking tight end. Even then, he was still stuck as a third-string tight end behind Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely.
And though Oliver grew into a fantastic blocking tight end, that’s not the reason why Kwesi was willing to pay a premium to sign him. The contract was a bet on Oliver’s untapped potential as a receiver. The tools he had from college are still there, he just never had the opportunity to show what he’s always been capable of until Hockenson’s injury.
Of the 59 tight ends who’ve had 10 or more targets, Oliver is 17th in the league with a 70.7 PFF grade as a receiver, which is on par with Kyle Pitts (70.6), albeit with about a third of the workload. Oliver’s overall grade at his position, which incorporates his blocking, is 74.0, which ranks fifth in the NFL at his position… just behind Andrews and ahead of Likely.
Better yet, his role in the offense is expanding as we speak. Seven of Oliver’s 13 targets have come in his past two games, and both of his red zone targets were converted into touchdowns. Even with Hockenson back in the lineup and taking 45% of Minnesota’s offensive snaps, KOC made sure to still have Oliver on the field for 56% of the snaps, roughly in line with his season average.
It has taken some time to materialize, but Oliver is finally blossoming into a versatile chess piece on a superstar-laden offense. He won’t grab as many passes or headlines as Hockenson, and he doesn’t need to. Oliver is a useful supporting character who’s showing O’Connell and Sam Darnold that he can be an offensive weapon unto himself.
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