The Minnesota Vikings on Tuesday afternoon added another running back to their depth chart, signing former New Orleans Saints sixth-round pick Devin Neal as they deal with uncertainty at the position.
Neal was selected by the Saints with the 184th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft after a highly productive college career at Kansas. Across 49 games over four seasons, he accumulated 4,343 rushing yards and 49 touchdowns while averaging 5.7 yards per carry. He also contributed as a receiver, recording 77 catches for 711 yards and four touchdowns during his college career.
The 23-year-old appeared in 10 games for New Orleans in 2025, including three starts. He carried the ball 57 times for 206 yards, averaging 3.6 yards per attempt, and scored two rushing touchdowns. He logged 17 receptions for 104 yards on 19 targets.
Neal's time with the Saints was disrupted by injuries. He was placed on injured reserve during the 2026 preseason and later received an injury settlement. He was released after roster cuts this year.
Minnesota's need for additional running back depth has increased with Jordan Mason on IR because of a broken thumb. Veteran Aaron Jones Sr. remains atop the backfield, while DeeJay Dallas and Demond Claiborne are also among the potential rotational options.
The Vikings have made several recent additions at running back, bringing Jarrett Patterson and Jerome Ford onto the practice squad before adding Neal.
Neal measures 5-foot-11 and 213 pounds and brings experience in a variety of rushing concepts from his Kansas career. Minnesota is prioritizing more wide-zone concepts, an area that matches his background.
Neal now gives the Vikings another option behind Jones while Mason remains unavailable.