The Minnesota Vikings had a breakout season in 2024, finishing the regular season with a stellar 14-3 record, positioning themselves among the NFL’s top teams. However, a crucial Week 18 loss to the Detroit Lions cost them the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Dropping to the fifth seed, the Vikings were eliminated in the opening round of the playoffs by the Los Angeles Rams.
In response, the team’s front office has been active this offseason, making several key changes. One major move was allowing quarterback Sam Darnold to walk in free agency, paving the way for rookie J.J. McCarthy — the 10th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft — to take over as the starter. Among their more recent roster moves, the Vikings signed tight end Josh Oliver to a three-year, $23.25 million contract extension. Interestingly, the structure of the deal benefits the team financially.
Oliver, originally a third-round selection by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2019, never found consistent footing there. After two seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, he joined the Vikings in 2023 and carved out a role as a reliable secondary tight end behind T.J. Hockenson.
In 2024, Oliver turned in the most productive season of his career. Though not a major statistical contributor, he caught 22 passes for 258 yards and three touchdowns across 15 games, and proved valuable as a blocker in both the run and passing games. With a well-defined role in the offense, Minnesota rewarded him with a new deal.
While the general terms of the extension were previously reported, the full contract breakdown emerged on Tuesday, revealing the Vikings will save over $5 million against the 2025 salary cap thanks to the new agreement. “Vikings save over $5M in 2025 cap space with Josh Oliver’s extension,” Sean Borman of Vikings Territory posted on X, highlighting the financial upside.
Although Oliver won’t be the focal point of the offense with playmakers like Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Aaron Jones, and Hockenson around, he’s expected to be a steady contributor. With McCarthy transitioning to the NFL, having dependable role players like Oliver will be key.
The Vikings’ commitment to Oliver underscores their confidence in him, and the financial flexibility gained from the extension gives them additional room to strengthen the roster ahead of the 2025 season. It’s a rare NFL scenario where both team and player seem to have come out on top.