Sticking with an NFL team for multiple years can be a challenge. The league is a harsh business that can punish players who underperform by releasing them and reward players by signing contracts with new teams. Fans of the Minnesota Vikings have seen many players come and go in the team's recent history.
Whether they were a draft pick or a free agent doesn't matter. Once a player no longer fits what a team wants to do, their spot on the roster is put in danger. That's the situation for former UNC running back Ty Chandler.
Chandler was a fifth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft but has struggled to consistently be effective offensively. Last season, he was only able to muster 182 yards on 56 rushing attempts while adding six catches for 46 yards while acting as the backup for Aaron Jones.
Ty Chandler could be on the chopping block for the Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings brought back starter Aaron Jones this offseason and traded for former 49ers running back Jordan Mason to act as a backup or rotational option for Kevin O'Connell and the offense.
That means that Chandler is already in line for a demotion in 2025, even if he sticks with the team. However, he could face some stiff competition for the third running back job from undrafted free agent Tre Stewart.
A similar size to Chandler, Stewart has the potential to earn a roster spot this season based on his limited success at Jacksonville State. He averaged 5.9 yards per carry in college and scored 26 touchdowns between his rushing and receiving in 2024. His 1,638 rushing yards on 278 carries show he can handle a large workload if needed and get results.
Training camp and preseason will tell a lot about what the future holds for these two running backs. A strong competition could bring out the best in both players, but one will eventually become the Vikings' RB3.
This is also a great opportunity for Minnesota to evaluate its young talent and prepare for the future. Figuring out what players fit in the long-term plan of the team and who must be on the chopping block is a hard decision, but general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has been making those kinds of tough choices since arriving with the Vikings, and there will likely be more difficult calls to make in the future.