After nine seasons, Marcus Sherels is leaving the Vikings. The free-agent cornerback and return specialist confirmed by text Thursday that he will sign with the New Orleans Saints. Previously, a source had told the Pioneer Press he will sign a one-year deal. Sherels texted that the Vikings “did not” extend a contract offer. Terms were not immediately available on Sherels’ contract. He made $1.4 million last season. “The Vikings chose to go a different direction but I’m excited for my new opportunity,” Sherels wrote. “They have been nothing but good to me the last nine years. Big thanks to the entire Vikings organization and all the fans.” Sherels joined the Vikings in 2010 after going undrafted out of the University of Minnesota. He was the team’s longest-tenured player, along with defensive end Everson Griffen, who also was a rookie in 2010. Sherels was a valuable player on special teams. He has been one of the NFL’s top punt returners, and averaged 12.0 yards per return last season, his fourth time averaging 11 or more yards. Sherels also was used at times to return kickoffs and was adept as a tackler on special teams. The Vikings have salary-cap issues, which could have come into play in not extending a contract offer to Sherels. They have about $3 million left under the cap. The Vikings now must look for another punt returner. Cornerback Mike Hughes and receivers Chad Beebe and Brandon Zylstra are candidates. Running back Ameer Abdullah said earlier this week he could be a potential returner, though he has never returned a punt in his four NFL seasons. Sherels is the third Vikings player since the start of free agency last week to join the Saints. Previously, running back Latavius Murray and offensive lineman Nick Easton signed with New Orleans.<doc-sep>The New Orleans Saints announced Monday that they agreed to terms with punt returner Marcus Sherels, a longtime member of the Minnesota Vikings. Sherels will sign a one-year contract with the Saints per earlier reports. Sherels has been one of the most dynamic punt returners in the NFL in recent years. In 2018, he recorded 11 punt returns of 10 or more yards; of that group, six went for 20 or more yards, effectively flipping field position. It can’t be understated how big of an improvement this is over what the Saints fielded last year: Alvin Kamara, Tommylee Lewis, and Brandon Tate combined for 10 punt returns of 10 or more yards, and none of them broke out for 20 or more yards. In other words, Sherels logged 276 punt return yards in 2018. As a team, the Saints gained 157 punt return yards. That’s going to put Drew Brees and the Saints offense in many more favorable scoring positions. Saints Agree To Terms With CB/PR Marcus Sherels! #GoSaints pic.twitter.com/haDJqBBtPA — New Orleans Saints (@Saints) March 25, 2019 Sherels has limited experience returning kickoffs, so expect Taysom Hill or Kamara to continue shouldering the load in that area — unless the Saints add someone else to the roster. Sherels is listed as a cornerback but he’s played fewer than 100 defensive snaps since the 2014 season; don’t expect him to mix it up with the other defenders much. The coaches will likely want him focusing on getting familiar with the other core special teamers such as Hill, Craig Robertson, Justin Hardee, and Chris Banjo.<doc-sep>The New Orleans Saints finally added a good punt returner in Marcus Sherels, a defensive back who started his career with the Minnesota Vikings. But Sherels picked the Saints over the Vikings and a handful of other teams because he wanted to win a Super Bowl. And it turns out that he signed with New Orleans on a one-year deal at the veteran’s minimum. Contract details for Sherels were first reported by Josh Katzenstein of the Times-Picayune. Per Katzenstein’s report, Sherels was given a $90,000 signing bonus and a base salary of just $930,000. That qualifies him for the veteran’s minimum salary benefit, meaning his salary cap hit is just $735,000. That’s quite the bargain for a punt returner who was better than anyone the Saints had on their roster last year. Sherels logged 276 punt return yards on 23 attempts (12.0 yards per return) in 2019. As a team, the Saints combined for just 157 yards on 24 attempts (only 6.5 yards per return). The Saints are nearly doubling the yards gained per-return by adding Sherels, at least on paper. He’ll be a great weapon for new special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi, who also returns every other cornerstone on the punt and kickoff units — guys like Thomas Morstead, Wil Lutz, Taysom Hill, Chris Banjo, and Craig Robertson.<doc-sep>
METAIRIE, La. -- The New Orleans Saints have agreed to a deal with longtime Minnesota Vikings punt returner Marcus Sherels, a source confirmed. The agreement was first reported by the St. Paul Pioneer Press, which said it was a one-year deal. Terms have not been disclosed. Sherels, 31, was the Vikings' primary punt returner for the past eight years with an average of 10.6 yards per return and a total of five touchdowns. He averaged 12.0 yards per punt return last season to finish in the NFL's top five for the third time in the last six years. Sherels was also used as a kickoff returner on occasion. And he was a backup cornerback who started six games on defense earlier in his career. Originally undrafted out of the University of Minnesota in 2010, Sherels was tied as the longest-tenured player on the team. New Orleans, meanwhile, could use some punt-return help after ranking in the NFL's bottom 10 in that category each of the past two years and letting return specialist Tommylee Lewis leave for the Detroit Lions in free agency. The Saints have also used key offensive players Alvin Kamara and Ted Ginn Jr. as punt returners. Sherels also continues a trend this offseason for the Saints, who have signed three former Vikings in free agency (also running back Latavius Murray and center Nick Easton). That's in addition to former Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater and former Vikings fullback Zach Line, who joined the Saints over the past two years.