The New Orleans Saints added another name to their running back room today, agreeing to terms with free agent Ty Chandler on a one-year deal at the league minimum salary. The signing, first reported by Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football, pulls the 27-year-old out of Minnesota after four seasons with the Vikings and drops him into one of the more crowded and competitive backfields in the NFC.
It is the latest in a string of offseason moves by New Orleans, which has already brought in Travis Etienne, offensive lineman David Edwards, and linebacker Kaden Elliss since the league year opened.
Who is Ty Chandler?
Chandler was selected by the Vikings in the fifth round, 169th overall, of the 2022 NFL Draft out of the University of North Carolina. Before that, he spent four seasons at Tennessee, where he totaled 2,015 rushing yards and ranked fifth in school history in all-purpose yards. His final college season at North Carolina produced 1,092 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns, offering a clear picture of what he could do when given consistent carries.
At the NFL level, the results have been more measured. Across 40 career regular-season games and four starts in Minnesota, he carried the ball 181 times for 710 yards, a 3.9-yard average, with 3 touchdowns. He also caught 30 passes for 212 yards and returned 15 kickoffs for 386 yards, averaging 25.7 yards per return.
3 things he brings to New Orleans
- Elite straight-line speed. Chandler ran a 4.38-second 40-yard dash coming out of college, a time that is genuinely fast for a back listed at 5-foot-11 and 204 pounds. That speed gives New Orleans a different dimension in the backfield, one that opposing defenses have to account for even when he is not the primary option on a given play.
- Ball security and reliability. In four seasons in the NFL, Chandler has not fumbled once, has not dropped a single pass, and has never muffed a kick return. For a roster spot that will likely come down to practice performance and preseason games, that kind of dependability carries real weight.
- Special teams versatility. Chandler contributed regularly to Minnesota’s coverage units, logging four solo tackles and six assists on special teams across his career. With Dante Pettis not returning to New Orleans after last season, there is a genuine opening for someone to step into a return specialist role. Chandler has the speed to compete for it, even if his college return numbers trailed off after a strong freshman year at Tennessee.
Where the injury concern fits in
Chandler’s 2025 season was a near-total loss. A knee injury kept him sidelined for 14 games, and when he returned in Week 17 he managed 17 carries for 47 yards across three appearances. It was a significant step back after what had been his most productive NFL stretch. His best season came in 2023, when he posted 620 yards from scrimmage and scored 4 touchdowns while handling a genuine role in the Vikings offense.
The knee injury does not erase what he showed that year, but it adds a layer of uncertainty heading into a training camp where he will need to prove his health and earn a roster spot.
A crowded backfield competition
The Saints enter the summer with a full house at the position. Travis Etienne sits at the top of the depth chart after arriving in New Orleans this offseason. Alvin Kamara remains with the team, though his long-term future is unclear as his career winds down. Devin Neal, Audric Estime, and Kendre Miller are all competing for roster spots, with Evan Hull also in the mix.
In that context, the Chandler signing looks less like a guarantee and more like a legitimate training camp opportunity. If he can stay healthy, flash his speed in the preseason, and demonstrate enough on special teams, there is a path to a 53-man roster spot. New Orleans typically carries four running backs through the season, which means at least a few of these names will not make it to Week 1.
The one-year, league-minimum structure of the deal reflects that reality honestly. The Saints are not committing anything significant here. If Chandler earns it, he will be around. If the younger backs outperform him, he will not. For a player coming off a knee injury and looking to reestablish himself, it is exactly the kind of shot that makes sense to take.
SOURCE: SAINTSWIRE