Interesting boost: Oliver’s yards per reception increased from 5.0 in 2019 to 7.3 in 2021 to 10.6 in 2022. Oliver caught 14 passes for 149 yards and touchdowns of 1 yard and 12 yards for Baltimore last season.
block party: Pro Football Focus ranked Oliver the eighth best tight end in the NFL in 2022 — two spots behind TJ Hockenson — noting that his 74.0 run-blocking mark made him one of only two tight ends to make 70.0 exceeded. PFF posted a “positive run block rate” of 15.3 percent to lead the NFL (next closest: San Francisco’s George Kittle at 10.9 percent).
For the position group: Oliver joins a tight ends room that includes Hockenson, Johnny Mundt, Nick Muse and Ben Ellefson. The Vikings have an opportunity to field more 12 staffers (one running back and two tight ends) after heavily using 11 staffers (one running back, one tight end and three receivers) last season. Hockenson is expected to be a prime target in the passing game after recording 60 receptions in the 10 games that followed his move to Minnesota in the season. After 10 total catches for 93 yards in 47 games with the Rams, Mundt had career-best 19 receptions for 140 yards and his first career touchdown in 21 goals last season.
Also to note: Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell spoke at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine about wanting to reduce Minnesota’s number of negative runs in 2023. Oliver’s run blocking prowess could help Minnesota with that goal.
Sports Illustrated’s Will Ragatz commented on the potential implications of the signing: