Oliver's stats may not be eye-popping but he's putting together a really strong season.
The Minnesota Vikings were thrilled to get star tight end T.J. Hockenson back on Sunday night for the first time since he suffered a torn ACL last season.
Vikings coaches said they didn't want to overload Hockenson in his first game back but gave him a game ball as a sign of how much he means to the team.
Even with Hockenson back, though, Minnesota will continue to use backup tight end Josh Oliver plenty.
"Josh is the best blocking tight end in the league," Vikings offensive coordinator Wes Phillips said on Tuesday.
Listed at 6-foot-5, 260 pounds, the 27-year-old is certainly a big guy who can handle defensive ends and linebackers. In fact, Phillips suggested Tuesday that he can sometimes handle them so well that it makes officials think he's doing something illegal.
Listed at 6-foot-5, 260 pounds, the 27-year-old is certainly a big guy who can handle defensive ends and linebackers. In fact, Phillips suggested Tuesday that he can sometimes handle them so well that it makes officials think he's doing something illegal.
"You see it every week," Phillips added. "He’s moving humans, large men, and putting them on the ground, and it’s been a big part of why we’ve been able to have some success on the ground.”
Pro Football Focus agrees, rating Oliver as the sixth-best blocking tight end in the league.
However, he's not just a blocker, something Vikings coaches have said since the team signed Oliver last year, believing he has better receiving ability than he's given credit for.
He's not going to put up George Kittle or Travis Kelce numbers, but Oliver tallied a career-high five catches for 58 yards (his second-most in a single game) and a touchdown on Sunday. That was already his third touchdown of the year, his most in a single season in his career, and he's also on pace to break his career-bests of 22 catches and 213 yards this season.
Per PFF, only two other tight ends are as good of blockers as Oliver and also have at least three touchdowns this season: Kittle and Mark Andrews. No other tight end has as good of a blocking grade and at least 130 receiving yards while blocking on at least 60% of their snaps.
The team and its fans are excited about the return of Hockenson, and rightfully so, but don't sleep on Oliver's impact for this team.
