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After a few days of silence in free agency, the New Orleans Saints made another addition to their offense with the signing of Ty Chandler on Tuesday. Chandler joins other free agent acquisitions on the offensive side in guard David Edwards, running back Travis Etienne, and tight end Noah Fant. He'll step into a crowded backfield competition that includes Etienne, Alvin Kamara, Devin Neal, Kendre Miller, and Audric Estime.
Chandler's career history with the Minnesota Vikings suggests that he may not be a big offensive contributor. The Saints may have made this signing with an eye towards their special teams, specifically kick returner. Here's a look back through his career and what he brings to the Saints.
Out of Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville, Chandler kept his collegiate choice in state with the Tennessee Volunteers. He contributed as a rotational player as a freshman in 2017, finishing with 305 yards rushing and another 108 as a receiver. In 2018, Chandler led the Volunteers in rushing with 630 yards and added another 183 receiving while scoring 7 touchdowns. He'd repeat the feat in 2019, picking up 655 yards on the ground. After a 2020 season of a lesser role and 567 scrimmage yards, Chandler would leave Tennessee and transfer to the North Carolina Tar Heels to finish out his collegiate career.
In 2021 with the Tar Heels, Chandler had a team-high 1,092 rushing yards and 13 scores on the ground. He also caught 15 passes for 216 yards on his way to 2nd Team All-ACC honors. During the year, he had multiple touchdowns in five games and had a season-high 213 rushing yards against Wake Forest.
Chandler was a fifth round choice by the Minnesota Vikings in the 2022 NFL draft. A thumb injury limited him to just three games as a rookie. Through 2023 and 2024, Chandler was Minnesota's second-string back and was used occasionally on kickoff returns. He had 461 yards rushing and 3 scores in 2023, including a career-best 132 yards in a Week 15 start against Cincinnati. That season, Chandler also had 21 receptions for 159 yards.
A knee injury in 2025 limited Chandler to only three games. In four years with the Vikings, Chandler had 710 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns while averaging 3.9 per carry and caught 30 passes for 212 yards. He also returned 15 kickoffs for a 25.3 average.
Tyson Chandler isn't expected to challenge for a starting job with the Saints. Those jobs belong to Etienne and Kamara. This was a signing to improve depth and provide competition for Neal, Estime, and Miller. With his explosive speed, Chandler could also compete to be the Saints primary kickoff returner. After New Orleans traded Rashid Shaheed last season, the team didn't have anyone that stood out in that role.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: NFL free agency: Ty Chandler could help Saints clean up special teams
Continue reading...
Chandler's career history with the Minnesota Vikings suggests that he may not be a big offensive contributor. The Saints may have made this signing with an eye towards their special teams, specifically kick returner. Here's a look back through his career and what he brings to the Saints.
Ty Chandler
- Position: Running back
- Age: 27
- Height: 5-feet, 11 inches
- Weight: 205 pounds
- NFL experience: 4 years
- 2025 season: 3 games
Out of Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville, Chandler kept his collegiate choice in state with the Tennessee Volunteers. He contributed as a rotational player as a freshman in 2017, finishing with 305 yards rushing and another 108 as a receiver. In 2018, Chandler led the Volunteers in rushing with 630 yards and added another 183 receiving while scoring 7 touchdowns. He'd repeat the feat in 2019, picking up 655 yards on the ground. After a 2020 season of a lesser role and 567 scrimmage yards, Chandler would leave Tennessee and transfer to the North Carolina Tar Heels to finish out his collegiate career.
In 2021 with the Tar Heels, Chandler had a team-high 1,092 rushing yards and 13 scores on the ground. He also caught 15 passes for 216 yards on his way to 2nd Team All-ACC honors. During the year, he had multiple touchdowns in five games and had a season-high 213 rushing yards against Wake Forest.
Chandler was a fifth round choice by the Minnesota Vikings in the 2022 NFL draft. A thumb injury limited him to just three games as a rookie. Through 2023 and 2024, Chandler was Minnesota's second-string back and was used occasionally on kickoff returns. He had 461 yards rushing and 3 scores in 2023, including a career-best 132 yards in a Week 15 start against Cincinnati. That season, Chandler also had 21 receptions for 159 yards.
A knee injury in 2025 limited Chandler to only three games. In four years with the Vikings, Chandler had 710 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns while averaging 3.9 per carry and caught 30 passes for 212 yards. He also returned 15 kickoffs for a 25.3 average.
Tyson Chandler isn't expected to challenge for a starting job with the Saints. Those jobs belong to Etienne and Kamara. This was a signing to improve depth and provide competition for Neal, Estime, and Miller. With his explosive speed, Chandler could also compete to be the Saints primary kickoff returner. After New Orleans traded Rashid Shaheed last season, the team didn't have anyone that stood out in that role.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: NFL free agency: Ty Chandler could help Saints clean up special teams
Continue reading...
