The Minnesota Vikings were able to retain veteran running back Aaron Jones this offseason. But the team won’t be keeping Ty Chandler.
New Orleans Football reporter Nick Underhill reported Tuesday that Chandler is signing a free agency contract with the New Orleans Saints.
Chandler will be joining the Saints after four seasons with the Vikings. His best statistical campaign came during 2023 when he had 461 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
During 2023, Chandler also had 21 receptions for 159 additional yards.
Last season, Chandler ran for 47 yards on 17 carries. He averaged 2.8 yards per attempt.
Although the Vikings brought back Jones on a revised contract, Minnesota has now lost three offensive skilled-position players this offseason.
Wide receiver Jalen Nailor signed a 3-year, $35.03 million contract with the Las Vegas Raiders. Nailor was third for Minnesota with 444 receiving yards last season.
Also this offseason, former Vikings tight end Ben Sims inked a deal with the Miami Dolphins.
Ex-Vikings RB Ty Chandler Signs With Saints: Report
Running back is one of the most important positions to have depth on offense. For that reason, losing Chandler will hurt the Vikings roster.
But it’s not unexpected, especially after the team brought back Jones.
Last season, Jordan Mason led the Vikings in rushing with Jones dealing with a hamstring issue early in the season. Mason ran for 758 yards while Jones gained 548 yards on the ground.
Fellow running back Zavier Scott finished third among Vikings running backs with 114 rushing yards on 32 carries.
Chandler was fourth, ending 2025 with fewer rushing yards than even wide receiver Jordan Addison and backup quarterback Carson Wentz.
Clearly, Chandler wasn’t a big part of Minnesota’s offense last season. With Jones, Mason and Scott all returning, Chandler was poised to be the odd-man out.
The Vikings selected the new Saints running back at No. 169 overall in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He ends his tenure in Minnesota with 710 rushing yards and 212 receiving yards.
Chandler also scored three total touchdowns and averaged 3.9 yards per carry.
With the Saints, Chandler is joining a loaded running back room. New Orleans signed Travis Etienne in NFL free agency and still has former second-team All-Pro running back Alvin Kamara. However, pundits have linked Kamara to trade rumors over the past week.
Vikings RB Depth in 2026 NFL Offseason
Minnesota has lost a player at receiver, tight end and now running back this offseason. But the Vikings have minimized what the damage could have been this month.
In addition to Jones’s revised deal, ESPN’s Kevin Seifert reported the Vikings re-did tight end T.J. Hockenson’s contract. That opened up $5 million in cap space and allowed the veteran tight end to stay in Minnesota.
So, the top two running backs, top two receivers and top tight end in terms of yardage for the Vikings last season will all be back in 2026.
At running back, though, the Vikings need more depth. Jones, Mason and Scott are the only running backs on the team’s official roster.
While those three backs are likely to be the team’s top three players at the position when the season opens, NFL teams typically have 5-7 running backs on an offseason roster.
Again, depth at running back is always key. That could especially be true for Minnesota next season with Jones set to turn 32 in December.
Vikings Lose Another Skilled-Position Player in NFL Free Agency: Report