The Minnesota Vikings have agreed to a to a three-year contract worth over $21 million with free agent TE Josh Oliver, sources told Alec Lewis of The Athletic. The former third-round pick is known around the league as an outstanding blocker and Kevin O'Connell and the Vikings staff have made improving the run game a priority this off-season. Adding Oliver is strong evidence that the Vikings want more room to run for star running back Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison behind him.

Vikings beat reporter Alec Lewis tweeted earlier today that Josh Oliver ranked as the top run-blocking TE in the NFL last season among the 44 TEs who played 50 percent of all run-blocking snaps. With the trade deadline acquisition of T.J. Hockenson last season as a primary pass-catcher alongside Justin Jefferson, Oliver will certainly be asked to handle majority of the tight end blocking assignments.

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Josh Oliver was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2019 but was traded to the Baltimore Ravens in the off-season before the 2021 regular season. This last season saw Oliver find the most playing time of his young career. Despite making a name for himself as a run-blocker, he caught his first career touchdown pass against the New England Patriots in week 3. He finished that game with two receptions for a total of eight yards.

Oliver will be joining an offense highlighted by star wide receiver Justin Jefferson. As Jefferson demands most of the attention of opposing defense's attention, the aforementioned Hockenson and Cook are able to carve out substantial role's for themselves. In Oliver's case, he will be coming in with the primary responsibility of making space for other playmakers, but as he showed last season, there will be opportunities for him to be trusted around the end-zone.