The Minnesota Vikings announced that they have re-signed Rhett Ellison and Marcus Sherels.
Ellison has played in 58 games including 35 starts during his first 4 seasons in Minnesota. He has recorded 42 receptions for 458 yards and 3 TDs, while adding 25 special teams tackles in his NFL career.
The 5-year veteran hauled in 11 catches for 124 yards and a score in 2015, while also serving as a key blocker for RB Adrian Peterson, the NFL’s leading rusher with 1,485 yards. The Portola Valley, Calif., native was drafted by the Vikings in the 4th round (#128) of the 2012 draft out of Southern California.
Sherels has appeared in 81 games with 6 starts in his first 5 NFL seasons, all with the Vikings. The Rochester, Minn., native originally joined the team as an undrafted free agent following the 2010 NFL Draft and spent the first 15 weeks of the 2010 campaign on the team’s practice squad before being elevated to the 53-man roster on 1/1/11.
The former Golden Gopher enters his 6th NFL season ranked 3rd in team history in career punt return yards and needs 306 return yards to move into 1st place. Sherels owns the franchise’s career-punt returns for TDs record (3) and most 50+ yard punt returns (5), while his 10.2 career-punt return average ranks 3rd in Viking history.
Sherels returned 34 punts for 311 yards and one TD during the 2015 campaign, in addition to 8 special teams tackles, tied for the 5th-most on the team.
[Minnesota Vikings press release]
