The Minnesota Vikings are approximately two weeks away from issuing their first unofficial 53-man roster, and a once-promising playmaker appears now firmly on the outside looking in.
Minnesota added a crucial element to its offense last season by picking up running back Aaron Jones, formerly of the Green Bay Packers, in free agency. Jones had a couple of injury bumps and bruises along the way, though he finished the campaign with 1,546 yards gained from scrimmage and seven total touchdowns, which equated to a two-year extension worth $20 million total.
Then this offseason, the Vikings traded a fifth-round pick and a sixth-round pick swap to the San Francisco 49ers for Jordan Mason who figures to play the role of a heavily-used RB2 behind/alongside Jones, who will play this season at 31 years old.
The talent and insurance that Mason provides behind Jones makes former fifth-round running back Ty Chandler somewhat superfluous. Running back Zavier Scott, who went undrafted in 2023 and caught on with the Vikings practice squad in August 2024, is currently the No. 3 rusher in the position group, per the team’s depth chart as listed by ESPN.
Chandler is entering the final season of his four-year, $4 million rookie contract in 2025 and looks like RB4 with two weeks of the preseason remaining before official Week 1 prep begins in Minneapolis. As such, Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report suggested on Thursday, August 14, that Chandler is the Vikings’ No. 1 cut candidate of the summer.
Ty Chandler Had Down Year Last Season After Breakout Campaign for Vikings in 2023
GettyMinnesota Vikings running back Ty Chandler takes a handoff during an NFL game in 2024.
Chandler appeared to have a bright future after coming on late in the 2023 campaign.
He put up 461 rushing yards for three TDs on 102 carries (4.5 yards per attempt) that season, along with 21 receptions for 151 yards through the air.
However, Minnesota’s acquisition of Jones ahead of the 2024 campaign robbed Chandler of a chance to start. He also wasn’t nearly as effective in the opportunities he actually got last season, rushing the football 56 times for 182 yards (3.3 yards per attempt) and hauling in just six catches for 42 yards.
Davenport laid out his case for the former breakout star to go as follows:
Another fan favorite gets the axe.
With youngster Zavier Scott turning heads in camp and in the preseason, The Star Tribune’s Mark Craig believes Chandler’s grasp on the No. 3 running back job behind Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason is growing more tenuous by the day.
“I wouldn’t say Chandler is entirely an afterthought,” Craig said, “but he is being pushed very hard and, in my opinion, getting passed by Zavier Scott, who I sense is hungrier for the roster spot.”
If you don’t take advantage of your opportunities in the NFL, someone inevitably comes along who will.
Ty Chandler Has Not Stood Out During Vikings’ Preseason
GettyMinnesota Vikings running back Ty Chandler takes a handoff from former quarterback Nick Mullens.
Chandler has not done a great deal this summer to cement his position on the roster moving forward.
Beyond the so-so practice evaluations, like the one Craig offered above, Chandler’s play during preseason games has also not been overwhelming.
He finished the team’s preseason opener against the Houston Texans with just five yards on five carries, though he did catch three passes for 20 yards. Chandler then produced 12 yards on three carries against the New England Patriots in Minnesota’s second preseason game Saturday.
Meanwhile Scott has been the most heavily-featured back in both contests, at least from a rushing perspective, which tips the Vikings’ thinking with regards to the position group to some degree.
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