Vikings' Josh Oliver: Gets big payday from Vikings
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Oliver and the Vikings reached agreement Monday on a three-year, $21 million contract, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.
A 2019 third-round pick, Oliver played only four games for his original team (Jacksonville) in two seasons but then developed into a solid backup tight end for Baltimore in 2021 and 2022. He's caught only 26 passes in 35 career games, and while he should see a few more targets in Minnesota, there's not much fantasy upside so long as T.J. Hockenson stays healthy. This move strongly suggests fellow free agent Irv Smith will sign elsewhere rather than sticking with the Vikings.
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Ravens' Josh Oliver: Sees role increase in 2022
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Oliver caught 14 of 25 targets for 126 yards and two touchdowns in 2022.
Oliver saw a role increase in his second year with Baltimore as he played nearly 500 snaps and recorded his first season with double-digit receptions despite the team bringing in two tight ends in the fourth round of the draft. Rookie Charlie Kolar being injured for much of the season helped Oliver carve out a bigger role, and he established himself as a useful blocker in Baltimore's run-heavy scheme. He's due to hit free agency this offseason, and with Mark Andrews already in the fold along with Baltimore's investments at tight end in the draft, it's possible he will be playing elsewhere in 2023.
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Ravens' Josh Oliver: Little involvement in Week 18
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Oliver played 32 of the Ravens' 75 snaps on offense in Sunday's 27-16 loss to the Bengals and failed to corral his lone target.
Though the Ravens played the regular-season finale without top tight end Mark Andrews -- who sat out for rest purposes -- Oliver wasn't a major beneficiary. Oliver's 43 percent snap share actually took a step back from his 60 percent mark against the Steelers one week earlier, as Isaiah Likely (88 percent, 8-103-0 receiving line on 13 targets) and Charlie Kolar (44 percent, 4-49-0 on six targets) instead took advantage of Andrews' absence. Because the Ravens value Oliver's blocking skills and ability to contribute on special teams, he's still likely to be active for Sunday's rematch with the Bengals in the wild-card round.
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Ravens' Josh Oliver: Goes without target in Week 14
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Oliver played 42 of the Ravens' 61 snaps on offense and wasn't targeted in Sunday's 16-14 win over the Steelers.
Oliver turned some heads when he recorded four receptions for 76 yards and a touchdown in the Ravens' Week 12 loss to the Jaguars, but the absence of No. 2 tight end Isaiah Likely for that contest played a major role in Oliver's breakthrough performance. With both Mark Andrews and Likely available for the Ravens' subsequent two contests, Oliver has faded almost exclusively into a blocking role when he's taken the field. He's played 66 combined snaps on offense over the past two weeks and hasn't been targeted once.
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Ravens' Josh Oliver: Excels in expanded role
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Oliver recorded four receptions on six targets for 76 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 28-27 loss to the Jaguars.
Oliver stepped into an expanded role with Isaiah Likely (ankle) sidelined, and he excelled with the opportunity. He tied for the team lead in receptions and led in receiving yards. Oliver's performance was highlighted by a 12-yard touchdown catch that came late in the fourth quarter, though he also caught a 40-yard pass from Lamar Jackson early in the third quarter. Although Oliver entered Sunday's game with only seven receptions, the Ravens have been in need of pass-catching options much of the season, so if Likely remains out Oliver could maintain his expanded role.
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Ravens' Josh Oliver: Likely to step in as No. 2 TE
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Oliver is expected to serve as the Ravens' No. 2 tight end behind starter Mark Andrews in Sunday's game against the Jaguars with Isaiah Likely (ankle) ruled out for the contest, Ryan Mink of Baltimore's official site reports.
Baltimore also has Nick Boyle and Charlie Kolar available as options at tight end, but the former serves mainly as a special-teams contributor and blocker on offense, while the latter has yet to make his NFL debut. Oliver, meanwhile, has already held a steady role on offense all season, even on the occasions both Andrews and Likely have been available. He's played no fewer than 30 percent of the offensive snaps in any of Baltimore's 10 games to date and has drawn at least one target in each of the past six contests.
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Ravens' Josh Oliver: Makes two grabs Sunday
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Oliver caught two passes for 21 yards on three targets Sunday against the Giants.
The veteran nearly reeled in his third target but officials ruled that it was not a catch. Still, Oliver was as involved as he's been all season in the passing game and his 21 yards marked a season-high. Oliver has played at least 30 percent of the snaps in each game this season but has only drawn targets in three of six outings. Baltimore hosts Cleveland in Week 7.
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Ravens' Josh Oliver: Draws first targets of season
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Oliver reeled in both of his targets for eight yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 37-26 win over the Patriots.
While filling a depth role at tight end behind Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely, Oliver's offensive snaps shares have ranged between 32 and 50 percent through three weeks. His workload is unlikely to change so long as both Andrews and Likely are available, but Oliver was at least able to make the most of his limited time on the field Sunday by collecting his first two targets of the season. He turned one of them into a one-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter, marking the first time that he's found paydirt since entering the NFL in 2019.
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Ravens' Josh Oliver: Quiet year in Baltimore
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Oliver caught nine of 15 targets for 66 yards in 2021.
An offseason acquisition from the Jaguars, Oliver suited up for 14 games with the Ravens. Mark Andrews came into the year as the alpha among the Ravens' tight ends and only solidified his standing in that regard, which left few opportunities for the rest of the position group when the team went with single tight end sets. Oliver averaged just 4.4 yards per target on his limited opportunities and played the third-most snaps at his position on the team. He is due $1 million in base salary in 2022, the final year of his rookie contract. If Nick Boyle returns to full strength, Oliver will have to battle with Eric Tomlinson for the No. 3 spot on the depth chart.
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Ravens' Josh Oliver: Back from COVID list
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Oliver was activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list Tuesday, Clifton Brown from the Ravens' official website reports.
The backup tight end was removed from the COVID list Tuesday and was moved to the exempt/COVID-19 list, allowing him to resume activities but not be placed on the 53-man roster. Oliver has operated as a depth option behind starter Mark Andrews all season, making just eight catches for 65 yards in 13 games this season.
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Ravens' Josh Oliver: Placed on COVID list
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Oliver (undisclosed) was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list Thursday.
Oliver is the 12th member of Baltimore's 53-man roster placed on the list. The backup tight end has eight catches for 65 yards this season but has primarily filled a special-teams role of late. He'll be fighting an uphill battle to gain clearance before Sunday's game in Cincinnati.
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Ravens' Josh Oliver: Notches season highs
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Oliver caught two of five targets for 29 yards against the Bengals on Sunday.
This was Oliver's best game of the season, as he notched season highs in yards (29), snaps (19) and targets (5). He has seen more than 15 snaps in back-to-back weeks, but Sunday was likely an anomaly in terms of his target volume. Baltimore is on bye before returning Week 9 to face Minnesota.
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Ravens' Josh Oliver: Packs bags for Baltimore
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The Jaguars traded Oliver (foot) to the Ravens on Wednesday in exchange for a conditional draft pick, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Oliver spent the 2020 season on injured reserve with a foot injury, but he'll presumably be healthy for the 2021 campaign. The 2019 third-round pick played just four games during his rookie season, recording three receptions for 15 yards. He'll handle a depth role at tight end behind Mark Andrews and Nick Boyle (knee) in Baltimore.
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Jaguars' Josh Oliver: Can't return from IR
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Oliver (foot) won't be eligible to return from injured reserve, John Reid of The Florida Times-Union reports.
If the Jaguars wanted Oliver to be eligible to return, they would've had to wait until Sept. 6 to place him on injured reserve. As is, the 2019 third-round pick will miss the entire 2020 campaign while he recovers from surgery on a broken foot. Oliver missed 12 games last year with hamstring and back injuries, so his luck couldn't be much worse through two pro seasons. Meanwhile, Tyler Eifert is left with light competition for TE targets in Jacksonville.
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Jaguars' Josh Oliver: Placed on IR, needs surgery
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The Jaguars placed Oliver (foot) on injured reserve Thursday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Oliver is scheduled to have surgery on a broken foot and can now be ruled out for the entire 2020 season. The 2019 third-round pick missed the first six games of his rookie campaign with a hamstring injury and the final six games with a fracture in his back, limiting him to four appearances. With Oliver out of the picture, Tyler Eifert doesn't have much competition for targets at tight end.
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Jaguars' Josh Oliver: Suffers broken foot
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Oliver suffered a broken foot bone Sunday and will undergo surgery, John Shipley of SI.com reports.
It's not clear the exact type of foot fracture Oliver suffered, but the quick surgery announcement implies it was something substantial that could keep him out for an extended period. It's a frustrating development for the athletic but raw tight end, a third-round pick of Jacksonville's from the 2019 draft. The Jaguars have at least two capable veterans on the depth chart in Tyler Eifert and James O'Shaughnessy, but both of them have their own durability concerns. After those two veterans, rookie sixth-round pick Tyler Davis might be next on the depth chart.
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Jaguars' Josh Oliver: Set for sophomore season
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Oliver (back) should be healthy for training camp after appearing in only three games as a rookie, John Reid of The Florida Times-Union reports.
The 2019 third-round pick missed the preseason with a hamstring injury and went down with a back issue after returning to the field, as he finished the season with three catches for 15 yards. Tyler Eifert was signed in March and is expected to start in 2020, while Oliver is likely to compete for reps behind him with James O'Shaughnessy (knee) and rookie Tyler Davis.
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Jaguars' Josh Oliver: Rookie campaign derailed by injury
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Oliver (back) spent the final six weeks of the season on injured reserve and totaled three catches for 15 yards in four games this season.
The rookie third-round pick missed the preseason and the first six games of the year with a hamstring injury, and he didn't see much involvement in the offense before suffering small fractures in his back Week 11. The starting job at tight end remains up for grabs, so a strong offseason could go a long way towards securing a larger role in 2020.
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Jaguars' Josh Oliver: Lands on IR
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The Jaguars placed Oliver (back) on injured reserve Monday, John Oehser of the Jaguars' official site reports.
Oliver suffered fractures in his back during Sunday's 33-13 loss to the Colts, the severity of which will now cause him to spend the rest of the season on IR. The 22-year-old caught three of six targets for 15 yards across four games in his rookie campaign. With Seth DeValve (oblique) nursing an injury, the Jaguars could be forced to work with Nick O'Leary (who the team signed in free agency Monday) and Ben Koyack at tight end Week 12.
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Jaguars' Josh Oliver: Dealing with fractures in back
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Oliver was diagnosed with small fractures in his back after he exited Sunday's 33-13 loss to the Colts, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
The Jaguars didn't provide an update on Oliver's condition after the game, but Rapoport notes that the tight end is expected to miss multiple weeks as a result of the injury and could be a candidate for injured reserve. Jacksonville was already down another of its pass-catching tight ends (Seth DeValve, oblique) heading into the contest, spurring the team's decision to sign free agent Nick O'Leary. Unless DeValve is back for the Week 12 game against the Titans, Jacksonville will likely have O'Leary and blocking specialist Ben Koyack as its lone available tight ends in that contest. Oliver caught one of two targets for a five-yard gain in the loss to Indianapolis.
