Vikings special teams coordinator Matt Daniels announced Tuesday that backup running back Ty Chandler will be the team’s primary kick returner with backup receiver Brandon Powell as the second deep man on kickoffs.
Vikings running back Ty Chandler will return kickoffs in NFL’s new format
Ty Chandler will replace Kene Nwangwu as the Vikings’ primary kickoff returner; former backup QB Jaren Hall signs with Seattle; no rest for Harrison Smith and no nickname for Will Reichard yet.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
September 3, 2024 at 10:01PM
General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and coach Kevin O’Connell had mentioned Myles Gaskin first among potential candidates for that role when asked last week who would return kickoffs after the team released former All-Pro kick returner Kene Nwangwu.
Daniels said Chandler has won the job because of his experience and his style as a sturdy 5-11, 204-pound running back with good “contact balance” to withstand the physicality of the NFL’s new kickoff rules.
“If you saw what the preseason looked like, guys are going to have to be able to break tackles,” Daniels said. “There are going to be times where you’re going to get free hitters through. And let’s be honest, the runners are taking a good bit of pounding. … So you look for a guy who has good vision, good contact balance … but also be able to attack the cover team fearlessly vertical. [Chandler] has that.”
As a college kick returner at Tennessee and North Carolina, Chandler averaged 23 yards with one touchdown on 37 attempts. As a Vikings rookie last year, he had four returns for 97 yards (24.3) with a long of 33.
Hall goes to Seahawks
O’Connell expressed hope last week that second-year quarterback Jaren Hall would clear waivers and be re-signed to the practice squad as a developmental fourth quarterback after the more experienced Brett Rypien was signed to replace Hall as the third quarterback.
Hall did clear waivers and did sign with a practice squad. Just not the Vikings’ practice squad.
Free to go anywhere, Hall chose to sign with the Seahawks’ practice squad.
“I’m excited for Jaren,” offensive coordinator Wes Phillips said Tuesday. “I know I had fun out there in those preseason games getting a chance to call some plays with Jaren out there making plays.
“I have a lot of respect for Jaren and wish him nothing but the best going out to Seattle with a good program out there. Sometimes a fresh start is good for a young guy like that. Can’t say enough about the person and the worker that he was in this building. … He’s just a good human being.”
Hall completed 28 of 46 preseason passes (60.9%) for 339 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions this preseason. He had a perfect passer rating in a win at Cleveland and finished 17 of 25 for 189 yards and two touchdowns while getting the start and the win at Philadelphia.
Hall, who grew up in Utah and went to BYU, was drafted in the fifth round a year ago. He went 1-1 as a starter when injuries rocked the position.
No rest for Harrison Smith
Defensive coordinator Brian Flores was asked about O’Connell mentioning back in March that the team plans to lower the rep count on 35-year-old safety Harrison Smith.
“There is a plan to maybe get him out of there a series or two, but that same plan was in last year and I kind of overrode all of that,” Flores said with a smile.
Smith is entering his 13th season. In 176 regular-season games, he has 175 starts and 11,390 defensive snaps. In the 11 seasons he has played at least 14 games, Smith has averaged 988 defensive snaps a season.
“A thousand snaps sounds about right to me,” Flores said. “I would be very happy with that.
“We’ll just see how this all shakes out. He’s one of those guys who’s hard to take out. If he’s standing by me, I don’t really feel good about that. Maybe that’s the play he goes in there and makes the game-changing play. It’s hard to take him out. That’s something I probably have to do a better job of doing.”
No nickname yet for rookie
Daniels, the team’s top moniker maker, has yet to assign a nickname to rookie kicker Will Reichard, who was drafted to replace Greg Joseph, aka “G-Money.”
“Mr. Wright [punter Ryan Wright] just asked me about that,” Daniels told reporters. “I’m still working through it. Y’all got any suggestions? … By the next [Tuesday], I’ll have something for you. I promise.”
Got a question about the Vikings? Email it to accessvikings@startribune.com. We’ll answer your questions in an upcoming Access Vikings newsletter or podcast.
Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold is completing more passes more often for more touchdowns than he ever has. “What we’re trying to get from Sam is to play the best football of his career,” coach Kevin O'Connell said.
