The Minnesota Vikings face some tough choices as they look to reshape their roster into a contender for 2025, and one potential casualty could be starting tight end Josh Oliver.
Oliver, who signed a three-year, $21 million deal in 2023, was initially brought in to bolster the running game and provide some upside as a pass-catcher. However, after playing just 56% of the snaps in 2024, his value is now in question. Bleacher Report has listed him as one of the top “cap casualties” ahead of free agency.
Josh Oliver.When the Vikings signed Oliver, it raised some eyebrows, and now, with the final year of his contract set to be the most expensive, his future in Minnesota is likely to be reassessed this spring. While Oliver is a solid blocking tight end, his $10 million price tag for 2025 seems steep considering his limited playing time. Bleacher Report noted, “The Vikings will already be paying T.J. Hockenson $16.9 million next season. Giving that much money to a second tight end is a tough pill to swallow, and cutting Oliver would free up $5.1 million.”
With only Hockenson and Oliver under contract at the tight end position for 2025, the Vikings are set to spend a significant portion of their cap on the position, ranking second in total cap usage ($26.3 million) and dedicating the highest percentage (12.1%) of their cap to tight ends. While the team may have hoped for a dynamic duo reminiscent of Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, Oliver’s limited impact on the Vikings’ pass-heavy offense could make his costly contract difficult to justify.
Leave a Reply