Josh Oliver – The Ballerina Bruiser – is Making Kwesi Look Smart
K. Joudry
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Wise GMs don’t pay for past production.
What’s been accomplished will remain in the past, events that will be cherished in fond memories and nostalgic afternoons. Football, especially at the NFL level, is perpetually forward looking in its perspective. General managers who know what they’re doing respond accordingly, prioritizing future production in the contracts they assemble.
Stunningly, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah handed out a major deal to Josh Oliver at the beginning of free agency. How much did it cost to convince the TE to move from Maryland to Minnesota? A 3-year, $21,000,000 deal is what did the trick.
Truth be told, I was blindsided by the deal. All of the attention was being devoted to the deficiencies at corner, edge rusher, and maybe even along the offensive line. Tight end, though? The same GM had just onboarded T.J. Hockenson. Convincing Hockenson to stick around on an extension — something that did happen — appeared far more important than signing another TE.
Oliver, though, was worth the contract, at least according to Adofo-Mensah. Many disagreed at the time, but one wonders if Oliver is changing people’s minds.
Josh Oliver, The Ballerina Bruiser
Oliver is humongous. Of course, just about every NFL TE is massive compared to average folks, but even on the football field Oliver stands out.
During the offseason, OC Wes Phillips was sure to address the benefits of Oliver’s size: “Kinda the interesting thing about Josh is coming out he was really more of a pass catcher. He was like, ‘Oh, he’s got the size, but we’re going to have to teach this guy how to block if we were to bring him in.’ Because he caught a lot of passes at San Jose and he ran 4.5-something. So he’s got, when he gets that train rolling, he’s just a tough cover just due to his size, his length, his catch radius.”
Phillips’ words reveal what a lot of fans are learning: Oliver offers a tremendous balance of power and grace. He can wallop a defender while also finding green grass to make a play on a pass. A bully as a blocker is nimble enough to get separation to make a catch. Hence, “The Ballerina Bruiser.”
So far, Oliver is up to 7 catches, 49 yards, and a TD. Not earth shattering numbers, but let’s not forget that he’s at best the fifth option in the passing game. Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, K.J. Osborn, and T.J. Hockenson all need to eat before the TE2 can get to the table. And, quite possibly, Alexander Mattison is the next most important pass catcher (18 targets, 12 catches, 56 yards, and 1 TD in 2023).
Oliver, though, knows his role and is doing his job at a high level. Right now, Oliver is the 1st overall tight end on PFF. A total of 71 TEs are considered, but Oliver’s 89.5 grade is claiming the gold medal.
Let’s not forget that the offseason assessments weren’t optimistic. CBS Sports called the Oliver addition a “head-scratcher” within a C+ grade for Minnesota’s free agency. Sports Illustrated offered a similar sentiment: “Also, paying Oliver $21 million over three years is steep.”
Count Kevin O’Connell among those who disagreed with that assessment. During the offseason, we heard the GM and HC speak about how the TE2 would introduce more balance to the Vikings’ offense, allowing them to be more multiple. Onlookers are now seeing what O’Connell had in mind. When Oliver is in the game, the defense needs to account for someone who could clear running lanes, pass block, or release on a route. Needing to prepare for these various possibilities can wear on a defense, causing them to play more slowly.
More recently, O’Connell has offered his praise. His press conference on Monday involved praising Josh Oliver for “some critical blocks at the point of attack.” And, for whatever it’s worth, there are some great film clips on social media showing off the blocks.
Look for the 26-year-old tight end to continue being worked into the team’s offense. He has been in on 39% of the team’s snaps on offense, but continued strong play will force the Vikings to lean on him more as the season progresses.
The future looks bright for Josh Oliver, and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah deserves credit for having the foresight to bring him to town.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference, PFF, and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter and as a co-host for Notes from the North, a humble Vikings podcast.