Punt Returner Extraordinaire Marcus Sherels Has Returned

With the news breaking today that Chad Beebe would be missing some time due to an ankle injury, the Vikings were left in need of replacements at multiple positions.

First, they addressed the loss of receiver depth by bringing back Laquon Treadwell.

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After signing Treadwell, they still needed to find someone to fill Beebe's role as punt returner (which is something they had already been looking into, given Beebe's struggles in that role). Instead of giving the job to someone like Ameer Abdullah or Mike Hughes, the Vikings simply brought back the man who has returned their punts for basically this entire decade.

That's right, Marcus Sherels is back.

The franchise's all-time leader in punt return yardage (2,447), average (10.6 and touchdowns has signed a one-year deal with the Vikings.

Sherels was originally signed as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Minnesota in 2010, and was the team's primary punt returner from 2011 through last season. He has also played as a backup cornerback, but the reason he's been able to stick around on the roster year after year is that he's an outstanding contributor on special teams.

He spent the offseason with the Saints after the Vikings finally elected not to bring him back. The Saints released him on September 1.

Sherels will immediately step into the punt returner role for the Vikings at Soldier Field, where he returned a punt for a touchdown in 2015.