Why 'blocking tight end' Josh Oliver is so valuable to the Vikings

Last year, there were 85 tight ends who had at least 100 blocking snaps in the regular season. Oliver's 74.5 PFF run blocking grade led that group by a wide margin (George Kittle was second at 70.8). In 2023, Oliver was sixth out of 83 in that metric. PFF hasn't graded him quite as highly in pass blocking, but part of that might be because of the difficult assignments the Vikings give him — assignments most teams understandably shy away from giving to their tight ends.

Signing Oliver to an extension is the latest piece of the Vikings' effort to improve their running game, which has mostly been ineffective in the three years of the Kevin O'Connell era. They added three new interior offensive linemen this offseason and traded for Jordan Mason to complement Aaron Jones in their backfield. And make no mistake: Minnesota's struggle to find rushing efficiency hasn't been Oliver's fault. It probably would've looked a lot worse over the past couple seasons if he hadn't been around.

"He's a big part that I feel like doesn't get the recognition that he deserves," Jones said. "Essentially, he's another tackle out there playing. (Defenders) don't necessarily know it until he goes to block them. We know it on our side. I'm excited for him, glad to have him, 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. He's the best in the league (at that), if you ask me."

Blocking is what drives Oliver's value to the Vikings' offense. But he wouldn't be as effective if that was all there was to his game. The fact that he can also run routes, pick up chunk gains through the air, and catch touchdown passes (he has five in two seasons) is what makes him the perfect complement to T.J. Hockenson as the No. 2 TE in O'Connell's scheme.

"He's a big body. I even joked about the ball he caught in the seam today, you're a free safety, you don't want that," safety Josh Metellus said after Tuesday's practice. "If he catches that and you've gotta make that tackle, you're gonna feel it more than any other guy would. He brings a lot. For him to be able to lock down a side on the run and in the pass, blocking-wise, and then still be able to run routes ... he has a lot of value, which is why we paid that man."

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