Marcus Sherels Considering Retirement
Marcus Sherels could be calling it a career. There’s a “50-50” chance the Vikings special teams ace retires, reports Chris Tomasson of TwinCities.com. The veteran will likely test free agency before making a decision.
The 32-year-old has spent much of his career with the Vikings organization, but 2019 saw him testing new waters. Minnesota didn’t make him an offer last offseason, leading to Sherels signing with the Saints. He was let go by New Orleans at the end of the preseason and went back to the Vikings, but Minny released him in late October. Following a brief stint with the Dolphins, Sherels once again signed with the Vikings. He ultimately appeared in eight total games last season, returning 12 punts.
The 2010 undrafted free agent out of Minnesota has compiled 2,503 punt return yards during his 10-year career, and his 2,480 yards with the Vikings is a franchise-best. Sherels has also returned 57 kickoffs during his career, and he has 108 tackles and one interception. Tomasson notes that it “would not be a surprise” if the front office moves on from the veteran.
With only $1.3MM of salary cap space, the front office will have to make some tough decisions this offseason. We’ve already learned that one of those decisions involves safety Anthony Harris, who sounds likely to leave Minnesota when free agency opens in March.
Dolphins Waive Marcus Sherels
Marcus Sherels‘ tenure with the Dolphins has come to an end. Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald tweets that Miami has waived the veteran returner/defensive back. Safety Montre Hartage has been promoted from the practice squad to take the open roster spot.
Sherels spent the first nine seasons of his career with the Vikings before signing a one-year deal with the Saints this past offseason. The 32-year-old was placed on the injured reserve after the preseason, and he was released by New Orleans days later. He caught on with the Vikings for his second stint with the organization back in September, and he proceeded to appear in three games for Minnesota.
He was cut by the Vikings in early October, and he signed with the Dolphins about a month later. Sherels primarily served as a return man during his five games with Miami. He returned three kickoffs for 57 yards and six punts for 23 yards, adding a fumble along the way.
Hartage, a rookie defensive back out of Northwestern, has spent the majority of the season on Miami’s practice squad. He had a brief stint on the active roster earlier this month. Hartage had a solid preseason with the Dolphins, compiling five tackles.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/5/19
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: WR Brandon Powell
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: WR De’Anthony Thomas
- Waived: CB Maurice Canady
Green Bay Packers
- Waived: LB Tim Williams
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: CB Marcus Sherels, RB De’Lance Turner (off Ravens’ practice squad)
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Promoted: LB Robert Spillane
- Placed on IR: LB Ulysees Gilbert III
Seattle Seahawks
- Activated from PUP: G Phil Haynes
- Waived: WR Gary Jennings
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Placed on IR: TE Antony Auclair
- Waived: WR Amara Darboh
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/22/19
Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Released: LB Ramik Wilson.
Carolina Panthers
- Promoted from practice squad: WR DeAndrew White
- Placed on IR: CB Natrell Jamerson
Chicago Bears
- Waived: DE Jonathan Harris
Cleveland Browns
- Signed off Jaguars’ practice squad: DT Eli Ankou
Houston Texans
- Signed: WR Steven Mitchell
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: LB Donald Payne
- Promoted from practice squad: LB Joe Giles-Harris
- Placed on IR: LB D.J. Alexander, TE Geoff Swaim
- Waived: CB Parry Nickerson
Minnesota Vikings
- Released: CB Marcus Sherels
New England Patriots
- Waived: S Jordan Richards
New Orleans Saints
- Released: LB Ray-Ray Armstrong, RB Zach Zenner
New York Giants
- Signed: LB Devante Downs
- Waived: TE Garrett Dickerson, LB Tuzar Skipper
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: DE Kasim Edebali
San Francisco 49ers
- Waived: LS Garrison Sanborn
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/24/19
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: T John Wetzel
Buffalo Bills
- Promoted from practice squad: DT Kyle Peko
Carolina Panthers
- Waived: G Kofi Amichia
- Released from IR via injury settlement: DT Destiny Vaeao
Denver Broncos
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Fred Brown
- Released from IR via injury settlement: LB Dadi Nicolas
- Waived: WR River Cracraft
Miami Dolphins
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: CB Marcus Sherels
- Waived: LB Devante Downs
New York Giants
- Signed: LB Nate Stupar
- Waived: TE Eric Tomlinson
Oakland Raiders
- Placed on IR: LB Marquel Lee
Philadelphia Eagles
- Promoted from practice squad: CB Craig James
- Waived: WR Greg Ward
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: LS Garrison Sanborn
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted from practice squad: DL Patrick O’Connor
Washington Redskins
- Released from IR via injury settlement: C Casey Dunn
- Waived: DT T.Y. McGill
NFL Workout Updates: 9/17/19
Here are Tuesday’s updates from the workout circuit, all links going to veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter unless otherwise noted.
Atlanta Falcons
- LB Carroll Phillips (per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, on Twitter)
Cleveland Browns
- T Dino Boyd, G Colby Gossett, G Malcolm Pridgeon (Twitter links via Balzer and the Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson)
Dallas Cowboys
- T Paul Adams, WR Quincy Adeboyejo, CB Deante Burton, DT Justin Hamilton, DE Willie Henry, LB Jawaun Johnson, S Josh Jones, WR DaMarkus Lodge, WR Anthony Ratliff-Williams (via ESPN.com’s Todd Archer)
Detroit Lions
- RB Benny Cunningham, RB Quinton Flowers, DE Durrant Miles, CB Marcus Sherels, LB James Vaughters (link)
Green Bay Packers
- WR Keon Hatcher, RB Bo Scarbrough, RB Austin Walter, DL Anthony Zettel (Twitter links)
Indianapolis Colts
- T Gerhard deBeer, Christian DiLauro, Brandon Hitner, C James Murray (link)
New Orleans Saints
- LB Ray-Ray Armstrong, QB J.T. Barrett, TE Crockett Gillmore, WR Krishawn Hogan, TE Gabe Holmes, QB Chad Kanoff, WR Jordan Matthews, TE Brian Parker, LB Brian Peters, LB Malcolm Smith, WR Deonte Thompson, QB Phillip Walker (link)
New York Jets
- LB B.J. Bello, CB Jordan Brown, CB Nigel Harris, CB Joshua Holsey, Shakial Taylor, CB Ahmad Thomas (link)
Oakland Raiders
- WR Jamal Custis (Twitter link via Wilson)
San Francisco 49ers
- LS Jon Condo, LS Garrison Sanborn, LS Drew Scott, T Sam Young (Twitter links via Balzer and ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter)
Seattle Seahawks
- LB Malik Carney, CB Jeremy Clark, S Adrian Colbert, DT Lyndon Johnson, CB Greg Mabin, CB Duke Thomas (link)
Washington Redskins
- RB Josh Ferguson, RB De’Angelo Henderson (Twitter links via Rapoport and NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo)
NFL Workout Updates: 9/10/19
We’ve got another busy day of workouts, with many teams across the league hosting players.
Arizona Cardinals
- S Briean Boddy-Calhoun; CBs Andre Chachere, De’Vante Harris
Buffalo Bills
- QBs Keller Chryst, Taylor Heinicke; WRs Tommylee Lewis, Joe Parker, Terrance Williams; CB Marcus Sherels, WR Damon Sheehy-Guiseppi
Cleveland Browns
Detroit Lions
- DEs Jesse Aniebonam, Andrew Ankrah, Markus Jones; S Josh Jones; CB Jeff Richards
Indianapolis Colts
- RBs Bruce Anderson, Darrin Hall; S Chris Banjo; DTs Earl Mitchell, Mike Pennel
Miami Dolphins
- DB Jordan Brown; Ts Christian DiLauro, Storm Norton, Chidi Okeke; CB Deatrick Nichols
New York Giants
- CBs Derrick Baity, Picasso Nelson; LBs Reshard Cliett, LaTroy Lewis; WRs Jamal Custis, Trenton Irwin; RBs Josh Ferguson, Austin Walter; DT P.J. Johnson; DEs Carroll Phillips, Kevin Wilkins; QB Jordan Ta’amu
New York Jets
- WRs Carlton Agudosi, Amara Darboh, Krishawn Hogan, Joe Horn, DeAndre Thompkins, Jordan Veasy, Kendall Wright; TEs Stephen Anderson, Donald Parham, Ross Travis; QBs Taryn Christion, Tyree Jackson, Mike White, Ks Elliott Fry, Greg Joseph, Younghoe Koo, Tristan Vizcaino
Philadelphia Eagles
Seattle Seahawks
Tennessee Titans
Washington Redskins
Sunday NFL Transactions: NFC South
Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four NFC South teams. Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline yesterday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters, claiming players off waivers or signing guys who clear waivers. Those transactions for the Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers and Saints are noted below.
Additionally, teams can begin constructing their 10-man practice squads today. You can check out our glossary entry on practice squads to brush up on those changes, as well as all the other guidelines that govern the 10-man units, whose players practice with the team but aren’t eligible to suit up on Sundays.
Here are Sunday’s NFC South transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day.
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed to practice squad:
- WR Christian Blake
- S Chris Cooper
- QB Danny Etling
- OL Sean Harlow
- DE Austin Larkin
- DT Jacob Tuioti-Mariner
- DT Justin Zimmer
Carolina Panthers
- Claimed:
- Waived:
- Signed to practice squad:
- S Quin Blanding
- G Rishard Cook
- DE Bryan Cox
- TE Temarrick Hemingway
- DT Bijhon Jackson
- DB Cole Luke
- LB Sione Teuhema
- WR DeAndrew White
New Orleans Saints
- Released from IR via injury settlement:
- Signed to practice squad:
- TE Dan Arnold
- WR Emmanuel Butler
- CB T.J. Green
- WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey
- OL Derrick Kelly
- OL John Leglue
- DL Mitchell Loewen
- TE Alize Mack
- WR Taquan Mizzell
- DB Terrell Williams Jr.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed to practice squad:
- RB Bruce Anderson
- S John Battle
- DL Terry Beckner
- QB Nick Fitzgerald
- WR Emanuel Hall
- C Nate Trewyn
- CB Mazzi Wilkins
Saints Reach 53-Man Max
Good news for Saints fans, and fans of lists in general. The Saints have reached the 53-man max – here’s the full rundown.
Released:
- Chris Banjo, S
- Michael Burton, FB
- Michael Ola, OT
Waived:
- Dan Arnold, TE
- Emmanuel Butler, WR
- T.J. Green, DB
- Porter Gustin, LB
- Marcus Henry, C
- Lil’Jordan Humphrey, WR
- Derrick Kelly, OL
- Alize Mack, TE
- Devine Ozigbo, DL
- Terrell Williams Jr., DB
Placed on IR:
- Marshall Newhouse, OL
- Marcus Sherels, CB
- Cameron Tom, C/G
Saints To Sign Marcus Sherels
The Saints have agreed to sign return specialist Marcus Sherels to a one-year deal, as Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press writes. Sherels spent the previous nine seasons with the Vikings and he’ll look to carve out a role with another promising NFC team.
Sherels, an undrafted player out of the University of Minnesota, joined up with the Vikings in 2010. Before today’s signing, Sherels tied Everson Griffen as the team’s longest tenured player. Griffen will stay put after agreeing to a revised contract, but Sherels is headed south.
Last year, Sherels averaged 12 yards per punt return, marking the fourth time he’s eclipsed 11 yards per try in his career. Without him, the Vikings will have to look into other punt return options and they may have a few in-house between cornerback Mike Hughes and wide receivers Chad Beebe and Brandon Zylstra. Also, as Tomasson notes, new running back Ameer Abdullah volunteered his services, even though he has yet to return a punt at the pro level.
The Saints, meanwhile, seem to have an affinity for ex-Vikings. In the last week, the Saints have also signed running back Latavius Murray and offensive lineman Nick Easton.