Ty Chandler’s fresh start in New Orleans lasted only a couple of preseason games.
Saints head coach Kellen Moore confirmed Tuesday that Chandler suffered a season-ending knee injury and is set to be placed on injured reserve. The former Vikings running back was hurt during New Orleans’ preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams.
It is a cruel setback for a player who appeared to be building momentum after leaving Minnesota. Chandler had signed a one-year deal with the Saints this offseason, hoping that a new backfield and a new coaching staff would offer the opportunity that had become difficult to find with the Vikings.
Instead, his season is over before it began.
A promising opening disappears
Chandler returned a kickoff 86 yards against Jacksonville in the preseason, displaying the open-field burst that had long made him intriguing in Minnesota. With several Saints running backs dealing with injuries, Chandler appeared to have a legitimate chance to carve out a role as both a returner and depth runner.
Then came the knee injury.
The Saints have been hit particularly hard in their backfield. Alvin Kamara is working back from an MCL sprain, Devin Neal has dealt with a hamstring injury and Audric Estime has been sidelined by an ankle issue. New Orleans acquired Zamir White from the 49ers in exchange for linebacker Deion Jones, a move that now looks even more necessary.
Chandler’s injury removes another option from a room already searching for healthy bodies. Travis Etienne Jr., Kendre Miller and White are the remaining runners competing to handle the workload.
For Chandler, though, the broader consequences are more painful.
He is on a one-year contract and will become an unrestricted free agent after the 2026 season. Rather than spending the fall putting good tape together for his next deal, he will spend it rehabbing. As he’ll turn 29 next offseason, teams might not line up to hire the back coming off a significant knee injury.
The Vikings years
Minnesota selected the Tennessee and North Carolina product in the fifth round of the 2022 draft, betting on his athleticism and 4.38-second speed.
His rookie season was mostly lost to a thumb injury, and the presence of Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison left little room for a young running back to find offensive touches. But Chandler became more relevant in 2023 after Cook’s departure. When Mattison struggled and later missed time, Chandler took over as the lead back for stretches.
His best moment came in Cincinnati, where he rushed for 130 yards and a touchdown in a December victory. The performance showed what he could be at his best: decisive, explosive and dangerous once he found space.
Chandler also became Minnesota’s primary kickoff returner for portions of 2023 and throughout 2024. He returned 15 kickoffs for 386 yards, a valuable contribution in an era when many teams simply accept touchbacks.
But the Vikings’ backfield shifted again.
Aaron Jones arrived in 2024, Jordan Mason later joined the group, and Chandler’s path narrowed. Protection and vision issues seemingly cost Kevin O’Connell’s trust. He played only three games in 2025 after a knee injury sidelined him for most of the season. By the time he reached free agency, a change of scenery made sense for both sides.
New Orleans offered that reset.
A difficult interruption
The 86-yard return against Jacksonville suggested Chandler might make the most of it.
He did not need to become the Saints’ featured runner to reestablish his value. A dependable return role, special-teams work and a handful of productive carries would have been enough to collect game-day checks.
That does not necessarily mean Chandler’s NFL career is over. He still has legitimate speed, return experience and proof that he can produce when given an opening.
But at 28, coming off another season-ending knee injury and without an established role as a starter, Chandler cannot assume another opportunity will be waiting. The harsh reality of the NFL is that depth running backs are replaceable by design, and the league always has younger, cheaper alternatives.
The injury did not end Chandler’s career. But it may have taken away the cleanest chance he had left to revive it.
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