1 Unsung Viking Deserves His Flowers

The Minnesota Vikings are still in postseason contention, and if not for a comical collapse, they will remain in the race until the very end. That success can be attributable to the coaching staff around Kevin O’Connell and Brian Flores, who might be the best offensive/defensive coaching combination in the league not named Andy Reid and Steve Spagnuolo.

1 Unsung Viking Deserves His Flowers

Of course, the players deserve some credit, too. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has collected a pool of players who are perfect for the team’s scheme. Despite moving on from some staples of the franchise, the club is cruising.

When the Pro Bowl voting rolls around in December, various Vikings will generate buzz, especially those with the top numbers like Justin Jefferson, Jonathan Greenard, and Andrew Van Ginkel.

Someone who will not be part of those conversations but has been extremely valuable for the offense is tight end Josh Oliver. In the second year of wearing Vikings’ purple, the tight end has excelled in his role, and quite frankly, he might be the best in the business at what he does.

What does he do? Well, he is blocking large human beings to open running lanes and has been surprisingly efficient in the passing game as a pass-catcher during the absence of star tight end T.J. Hockenson.

Oliver signed a three-year, $21 million contract in free agency in 2023. The fan base was shocked by the move less than half a year after trading for Hockenson. Since then, he has appeared in all 25 games with the franchise, catching 34 passes for 343 yards and five touchdowns.

But that’s not what he’s here for. The 27-year-old might be the best blocking tight end in the league. On Tuesday, his offensive coordinator, Wes Phillips, made that claim: “Josh is the best blocking tight end in the league, you know. And that’s no disrespect to anyone else and for anyone who wants to use that as fuel, go ahead; I can’t say I’ve studied each one intently, there are some good ones out there, but we’ll take Josh over anybody in this league in the role that he’s in. He’s not only physical imposing, he’s a 270-pound man, but the attitude that he plays with, the physicality.”

That attitude and physicality occasionally gets him into trouble. He has drawn some flags, and Phillips is convinced the officials are wrong about that.

“There have been times in his time here where I don’t know that they were particularly holds. I don’t think [the referees] are used to seeing a guy on the edge just kind of put a defensive end on his back, and he has gotten some calls in some situations where we’re like, ‘it’s hard to coach sometimes, that was a great block.’ But you see it every week. He’s moving humans, large, large men, and putting them on the ground.”

Regardless, Oliver has been the key in the running game, controlling the edges and helping the offensive line by removing one run defender from the play.

Last season, the lack of a good running back hurt the offense in the run game, but this year, Aaron Jones has taken advantage of the holes. Backups Ty Chandler and Cam Akers had a couple of solid games, too.

It might be strange to pay the second tight end such a high salary, but Oliver is a quiet difference-maker. Unfortunately for him, a player who’s doing the dirty work for his teammates rarely gets the attention he deserves. Last Sunday, in Hockenson’s comeback contest, Oliver caught five passes for 58 yards and the game-clinching touchdowns late in the fourth quarter.

With Hockenson back in the mix, Oliver’s role in the passing game might see a minor dip, but he will undoubtedly continue to be a focal point in the running attack.

His next matchup will be against the Jaguars, a team that employs some outstanding players on the edge. On run plays, it might be worth paying attention to the big number 84 and his key blocks.

Editor’s Note: Information from Over The Cap and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.

Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt