Will the Vikings’ special teams be better or worse in 2019?

Loss of Marcus Sherels

It doesn’t help when a team loses a key component in the offseason. Many assumed Marcus Sherels would re-sign with the Vikings this year, as he’s been with the team for his entire NFL career and he also played college football at the University of Minnesota.

So when he signed with the New Orleans Saints this offseason, Vikings fans were stunned. Suddenly, Minnesota’s unheralded special teams hero became a big loss. Vikings fans lamented his departure and looked back on his time with the team with a deep and nostalgic fondness.

Minnesota should be worried about their punt returning situation without Sherels back there this year. He did so many things well. He wasn’t overly fast, but he was just shifty enough to make guys miss.

Sherels gave the Vikings’ offense a lot of favorable field position every single week and a new face can’t be expected to have the same impact.

Sherels wasn’t just a good punt returner though, he was also an excellent gunner on Minnesota’s punt coverage team. Many times, Sherels was the first man there to down the football or make the tackle.

His intelligence and overall understanding of the punt game can’t be replaced. Hopefully, for the Vikings’ sake, someone can emerge and do a suitable job in 2019.

But no matter who ends up being Minnesota’s punt returner this year, chances are strong that he’ll be a downgrade from the great Marcus Sherels.