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The Minnesota Vikings have agreed to terms on a contract extension with tight end Josh Oliver, one of the least noticed but most important role players on the team in the past two seasons, the team confirmed Tuesday.

Oliver's three year extension is worth $23.25 million with a max value of $27.5 million, including $11.9 million in new guarantees and $19.9 million in total guarantees, Andrew Kessler of Athletes First told ESPN's Adam Schefter. Oliver's current deal, signed prior to the 2023 season, was set to expire next spring. He is now signed through the 2028 season.

CharVike wrote: ↑Wed Jun 11, 2025 6:00 pm Josh Oliver has been productive for us. The Minnesota Vikings have a total of $26.3 million invested in the tight end position for the 2025 season, which ranks them second in the NFL in terms of total cap space allocated to that position. I wonder if it will mean more 2 TE sets?

There were those who didn't get it when the Vikings' first move of free agency in 2023 was to sign Josh Oliver to a three-year, $21 million deal. There may be those who still didn't get it when the Vikings signed Oliver to a three-year, $23.25 million contract extension on Tuesday. Why so much money for a "blocking tight end?"

Well, because blocking has substantial value when you do it as well as Oliver does. He's a 6'5", 260-pound tight end who moves people in the running game and can hold up in backside pass protection against edge rushers. He's also a very capable pass-catcher, having recorded 22 receptions in each of his two seasons in Minnesota. That makes him a matchup problem when the Vikings are in 12 personnel (two tight ends).

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.

Cliff wrote: ↑Thu Jun 12, 2025 10:14 am

CharVike wrote: ↑Wed Jun 11, 2025 6:00 pm Josh Oliver has been productive for us. The Minnesota Vikings have a total of $26.3 million invested in the tight end position for the 2025 season, which ranks them second in the NFL in terms of total cap space allocated to that position. I wonder if it will mean more 2 TE sets?

I think so, but I think it also has a lot to do with his value to the running game.

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

There were those who didn't get it when the Vikings' first move of free agency in 2023 was to sign Josh Oliver to a three-year, $21 million deal. There may be those who still didn't get it when the Vikings signed Oliver to a three-year, $23.25 million contract extension on Tuesday. Why so much money for a "blocking tight end?"

Well, because blocking has substantial value when you do it as well as Oliver does. He's a 6'5", 260-pound tight end who moves people in the running game and can hold up in backside pass protection against edge rushers. He's also a very capable pass-catcher, having recorded 22 receptions in each of his two seasons in Minnesota. That makes him a matchup problem when the Vikings are in 12 personnel (two tight ends).

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.