Vikings' running back Ty Chandler's busy night vs. Seahawks could lead to more opportunities

SEATTLE — The thumb injury that ended Ty Chandler's rookie year after five weeks was behind him, and the Vikings' circumstances at running back meant Chandler's return was tinged with opportunity.

Alexander Mattison, the team's new No. 1 running back after Dalvin Cook's June release, would sit out the preseason opener like most of the Vikings starters, and Kene Nwangwu would not play because of an undisclosed injury. A year ago, Chandler won a roster spot after leading the Vikings in preseason rushing yards; if he could show a broader set of skills in 2023, he might be able to win the team's No. 2 running back job.

Coach Kevin O'Connell planned to give Chandler the ball early in the Vikings' game in Seattle on Thursday, and the more tackles Chandler broke, the more O'Connell wanted to call his number.

"That's always a good thing," the coach said. "His ability to see it in live-game action, his vision, his burst, his finish — it all showed up. And then his ability out of the backfield, either on a screen to even getting 4 or 5 [yards] on a screen that wasn't well executed. He's making things happen."

Chandler's productivity — 70 yards from scrimmage on 15 touches in the Vikings' 24-13 loss to the Seahawks on Thursday night — comes at a good time: Cook's departure means the Vikings will have a different backfield in 2023, and the team backed up O'Connell's vision for a more efficient running game by committing to heavier blockers. Through a pair of scoring drives that lasted at least 11 plays apiece, the Vikings lined Chandler up behind fronts with two tight ends or a fullback, springing the running back for 41 rushing yards in the first half while quarterback Nick Mullens found him on four passes that went for 29 yards.

In pass protection — one of the areas the Vikings have stressed with their young backs — Chandler blended in because he wasn't a liability. "There wasn't really anything that jumped out at me [with his pass protection]," O'Connell said. "We'll go back and watch the tape, but I thought, for the most part, he seemed to be totally in the moment. It was not too big for him."

If anything, the Vikings want to see the North Carolina product practice with the kind of consistency he's brought to preseason games. "He picked up, really, where he left off, as far as his ability to turn into a different guy when the lights come on," O'Connell said. "Now I want to see it every single day, and really see him be consistent because he's proven, when it goes live and it's real football, he's a tough guy to bring to the ground."

The Vikings value the same skill with Mattison, and the team's emphasis on a sturdier run game this year could make Chandler a complement to the team's new starter, with Nwangwu providing a change of pace. Mattison figures to get more work in contact periods in two joint practices with the Titans this week, but Thursday's preseason game could give Chandler more opportunities if Mattison doesn't play again and Nwangwu remains out.

"You never know what's going to happen, but it's something you prepare for, being willing to take on the workload," Chandler said. "Quite honestly, it was a blessing to get back out there and get a chance to compete again. I was grateful for the opportunity."

On Thursday, O'Connell said, he was tempted to leave Chandler in with quarterback Nick Mullens and wide receiver Jordan Addison for one more drive in the third quarter. The coach stuck to his plan, giving rookie DeWayne McBride and XFL pickup Abram Smith the second-half work in the backfield.

The team brought in former Browns running back Kareem Hunt for a visit on Friday, according to multiple sources. The 28-year-old met with team officials and went through a physical examination but did not work out on the field for the Vikings. He's at least the third veteran the Vikings have brought in for a visit during training camp, following guard Dalton Risner and cornerback Ronald Darby.

To this point, the Vikings have not signed any of the veterans they've brought to Eagan for visits. Though the changes to their running back room could spark interest in Hunt, especially in light of Nwangwu's absence, it seems at the moment there's a path to a larger role for Chandler — especially given the impression he made in his first two quarters of work since last October.

"I thought Ty Chandler jumped out," O'Connell said. "Any time he had the ball in his hands, he was rarely tackled by the first defender that was in space."