Josh Oliver Gets an Extension with Minnesota

One of the most underrated tight ends in the sport was rewarded with a sizable payday this week after emerging from the Minnesota roster. Josh Oliver recently inked a new three-year contract worth $23.25 million—a deal that sparked excitement among fans who appreciate a tight end’s value in blocking as much as receiving. During the 2024 season, Oliver achieved single-season career highs in several key categories: he amassed 258 receiving yards, scored three receiving touchdowns, and matched his career best with 22 receptions over the course of 15 games, including 12 starts. Notably, he demonstrated real signs of growth by recording over 50 receiving yards in back-to-back weeks for the first time in his career, posting 58 yards in Week 9 followed by 52 yards in Week 10.

Beyond his receiving contributions, Oliver’s impact in the run game is a standout feature of his play. According to the analytics site Pro Football Focus, he led all NFL tight ends in run blocking during the 2024 season, earning an impressive grade of 74.2. This marked an improvement over his 2023 season, when he received the fourth-highest grade in the league at 73.9. Oliver’s ability to dominate as a run blocker while contributing reliably as a receiver makes him a uniquely valuable asset—one well deserving of the lucrative contract that Minnesota has now secured.

Clearly, Minnesota is placing a lot of value on the tight end position, as the pair of T.J. Hockenson and Oliver will now be set to make a total of $25 million this upcoming season. It’s a hefty price for a position that mainly sees one primary benefactor in terms of receiving; however, it’s not unreasonable to have two talents of different types. Pairing Hockenson’s elite receiving ability with Oliver’s high-level blocking creates a tandem that can win in multiple ways. With all that said, I do think it creates a perfect storm for second-year QB JJ McCarthy to come in and succeed when your offense can be versatile. Expectations are rightfully high for McCarthy and the Vikings, and as we inch closer to the regular season, time will tell how things start to shake out.