Former New Orleans Saints running back Devin Neal did not have to wait long for another NFL opportunity.
The Minnesota Vikings are signing Neal to a contract, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported on September 29. The move comes less than four weeks after the Saints reached an injury settlement with the 23-year-old running back, ending his stint with New Orleans after just one season.
Neal now lands with a Minnesota team that suddenly has reason to collect running-back depth.
Jordan Mason is on injured reserve after undergoing surgery for a fractured thumb, leaving the Vikings without one of their primary options behind Aaron Jones. Minnesota had already promoted DeeJay Dallas to the active roster and added other depth following Mason’s injury.
For Neal, it is a chance to restart a young NFL career that showed some promise before injuries complicated his second season.
Devin Neal’s Saints Exit Came After Injury Settlement
The Saints selected Neal out of Kansas with the No. 184 overall pick in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Neal made 10 appearances with three starts as a rookie, rushing 57 times for 206 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught 17 passes for 104 yards, giving him 310 yards from scrimmage in his first NFL season.
His second season never got started.
New Orleans placed Neal on injured reserve during its final roster reduction on August 30. The team then reached an injury settlement with him on September 3, making him available to sign elsewhere once eligible.
That was an abrupt ending for a player who had received meaningful work when the Saints’ backfield was shorthanded late in 2025.
Devin Neal Showed Promise During Saints’ 2025 Season
Neal’s overall rookie numbers were modest, but some of his best work came when New Orleans needed him most.
With Alvin Kamara dealing with injuries, Neal received 19 carries against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on December 7 and responded with a season-high 70 rushing yards and his first career touchdown.
He followed that performance by rushing for another touchdown against the Carolina Panthers one week later.
Neal finished his rookie season with 74 offensive touches without recording a fumble.
The Saints nevertheless moved in a different direction entering 2026, and the injury settlement officially severed Neal’s contract with the organization.
Now Minnesota gets the opportunity to see whether that late-season production can translate into a larger role.
Vikings Have Been Searching for Running Back Depth
The timing of Neal’s arrival is hardly random.
Mason fractured his thumb during Minnesota’s season-opening win and underwent surgery before being placed on injured reserve September 16. Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said at the time that he hoped Mason would return following the minimum four-game IR window.
Minnesota subsequently moved Dallas onto the 53-man roster. Jones and Dallas also appeared on the Vikings’ Week 3 injury report with knee and toe issues, respectively, although neither received a final game designation.
Neal therefore enters a backfield that has already required multiple adjustments just three weeks into the season.
And unlike many September depth additions, Minnesota has recent NFL tape to evaluate.
Neal was contributing meaningful snaps for the Saints less than a year ago. Now he gets a chance to turn those flashes into a second act in Minnesota.
Ex-Saints NFL Draft Pick Signs With Minnesota Vikings