Cornerback and special teams ace Marcus Sherels released by Vikings

After a short return to the purple and gold, the Minnesota Vikings announced they have released special teams ace and cornerback Marcus Sherels.

It’s always fun to root for the hometown players, but sadly this chapter of the story for Minnesota native Marcus Sherels has come to an end with the Minnesota Vikings for the second time in his career.

This time, Sherels’ stay was short. The University of Minnesota product only lasted 28 days on the Vikings roster. In his three games played, he returned six punts for 33 yards and one kickoff for nine yards.

After being inactive for Week 7 against the Lions, it was pretty fishy that something was going on with the cornerback. Those fears were realized on Oct. 22 when the Vikings released a statement on Sherels’ release.

Here is the official tweet confirming his departure:

Sherels is a talented player, showcasing great ability on punt returns as well as special teams coverage units. He also filled in as a cornerback last season when the team’s depth was decimated by injuries.

At 32 years old, the special teams ace is a veteran of the NFL. Although he spent most of his time in Minnesota setting franchise records with the Vikings, there is bound to be a team looking for an explosive punt returner and excellent special teams player.

It wouldn’t be surprising to see him get picked up pretty quickly. Teams are always looking for an advantage when it comes to field position and Sherels is a weapon that can change the momentum of a game instantly.

Meanwhile, Minnesota will likely move forward with Mike Hughes as their primary punt returner. Hughes assumed those duties in Week 7 when Sherels was inactive and although he didn’t break a big return, he did gain nine yards on two returns.

As of this writing, the Minnesota Vikings haven’t made a corresponding move to fill the team’s 53-man roster. That means they have one open spot to fill, which could be an interesting thing to watch going forward.