Vikings Tight End Praised as “Vicious Guy” Who is a “Different Human”

Josh Oliver is an imposing player, someone who rightly garners praise for the degree of physicality that he brings to the game.

The Vikings tight end is back on a new extension, a contract that raises eyebrows around the league since the receiving numbers aren’t huge (three more years for a total of $23,250,000). T.J. Hockenson is the one who is supposed to put up the gaudy statistics. Mr. Oliver, meanwhile, is meant to be the bully blocker who occasionally makes a play with the ball. Why is he so important?

Vikings Tight End Josh Oliver & MIN’s Team Identity

In a lot of ways, the Vikings’ offseason has focused on enhancing the team’s ruggedness, thereby adding another component to the team identity. No longer is this team solely about skill. Rather, the team has skill and physicality.

Adding RG Will Fries is about being more imposing at the line of scrimmage. So, too, does tossing C Ryan Kelly into the mix add to the team’s ability to keep a quarterback upright while also helping with gaining ground when running the ball. Even better is the presence of RB Jordan Mason, the trade add who stands at 5’11” and 223 pounds (Aaron Jones, for comparison, finds himself at 5’9″ and 208 pounds).

Kick it over to Mr. Jones, the team’s RB1. He’s a fan of the tight end, comparing him to an offensive lineman while going on to describe him in a pretty notable manner.

“Essentially, he’s another [offensive] tackle out there playing,” Jones explains, “and guys don’t necessarily know it until he goes to block ’em.” Not too long afterwards, Jones calls Oliver a “vicious guy” and someone who is the “best in the league” at what he does.

Similarly, offensive coordinator Wes Phillips sent along some noteworthy praise.

Coach Phillips indicates that his TE2 is a “different human” insofar as he’s able to handle defensive ends. Even better is that he’s someone with an intimidating build and demeanour: “We try to get him to walk off the bus first anytime we’re travelling.” What’s the meaning behind the quick bus quip? Well, it may be a bit of a joke, but the idea is that he’s a huge guy, so getting him to walk off the bus first can be a tactic to intimidate the other team.

Oh, and Phillips agrees with Jones, suggesting that Josh Oliver is the best in the NFL at what he does.

Listed at 6’5″ and 259 pounds, Mr. Oliver is probably a bit heavier than the official listing. Even among NFL players he stands out as being a large lad.

In 2024, Oliver earned 28 targets within his fifteen games. He turned those opportunities into 22 catches, 258 yards, and 3 touchdowns. The 11.7 yards-per-reception average isn’t earth shattering but it’s healthy, pointing to someone who doesn’t get enough credit for his athleticism.

Originally, Mr. Oliver was a 3rd-Round selection, entering the NFL back in 2019 with the Jaguars. He then travelled north to Baltimore, Maryland to become a Raven before ending up in the Twin Cities. He appears to have found a nice home as a Viking; he makes the occasional play on the ball while demanding a pile of respect for the physicality and ruggedness that he offers without the ball.