Monday Morning Sees Brutal Vikings News Hit the NFL’s Headlines

The Minnesota Vikings pulled off the win in Tampa Bay to climb up to 3-0. That’s good news.

Unfortunately, some brutal Vikings news arrived this morning.

Ian Rapoport of The NFL Network offered the update on tight end Josh Oliver: “#Vikings TE Josh Oliver is feared to have suffered a torn biceps in Sunday’s game and will have an MRI today determine if that is the case, sources say. Oliver would be out indefinitely if the testing confirms.”

Terrible Vikings News Hits Headlines

Losing the TE2, were that to be fully confirmed, would be a tough hit to the offense.

Thor Nystrom commented on the significance online: “Oliver is one of the most underrated players on the Vikings, a skeleton key on offense that unlocks their ability to be multiple and manipulate defensive personnel. This one hurts.”

Nystrom is essentially bang on in his assessment.

Part of the magic of Josh Oliver is that he allows the Vikings to be multiple, largely due to being unpredictable. Putting the TE2 into the game means being capable of passing or running with some proficiency. A great blocker, Oliver is a sneaky athlete who does a better job as a pass catcher than most realize.

He can be tasked with wrestling with an edge rusher, an assignment that a lot of players at his position can’t handle (watch the end of the Bears game when a TE tried to wrestle with Dallas Turner).

In fact, I chatted with him once about that particular issue a while ago, bringing up the idea that edge rushers sometimes make the comment that they should never let a tight end block them. His response to that saying, “Yeah, I think that’s just like the chip on your shoulder that I continue to have. People are always going to say this and that, but I mean if you go out and you got to put on pads and line up in front of me. The aftermath is the aftermath.”

When it comes to Josh Oliver and being multiple, think the difference between Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason. In Jones, the Vikings boast a runner who can threaten a defense either in the running or passing game. Defenses therefore encounter some uncertainty pre-snap since it’s tough to make an educated guess. In Mason, the Vikings boast somebody who is really only a threat in the running game. Defenses know this when Mason is out there.

So, Josh Oliver is indeed a key piece of the puzzle. Pre-snap uncertainty is always to be coveted and is a core part of the Vikings’ ethos.

Originally, the tight end got into the NFL as a 3rd-Round choice of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2019. The stint down in Jacksonville didn’t lead to Oliver shining. His next stop with the Baltimore Ravens did lead to him proving to be a great option as a blocker, leading to a 2023 signing from Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.

Losing Oliver would mean that T.J. Hockenson gets a heartier workload. Already, the TE1 is…the TE1. So, there’s not a ton more that can be placed onto his shoulders even if Kevin O’Connell and Wes Phillips task Hockenson with blocking a touch more.

Next up for in-house options are sophomores Gavin Bartholomew (on the 53-man roster), Ben Yurosek (working through injury), and Cam Grandy (on the practice squad).

Last year, the Vikings employed veteran tight end Nick Vannett for a little while. He’s a brawny blocker who is hanging around on Baltimore’s practice squad. Don’t be surprised if he’s a target of the Minnesota Vikings with the Josh Oliver news.

Some other options exists in leaning on fullback Max Bredeson more. That could mean more 21 personnel or even tasking Bredeson with lining up at tight end, something he did a lot at Michigan. Moreover, there’s Jauan Jennings and his ability as a blocker. He won’t be tasked with playing tight end but he’s a great option to block when leaning on 11 personnel.

Next up is a Week 4 game against the Miami Dolphins. Even if there’s some unexpected good news with the tight end, the Vikings aren’t likely to see Josh Oliver for a little while.

Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.