The tearing of Chad Beebe’s ankle ligaments three days earlier created quite the juxtaposition of Purple-clad reunions at TCO Performance Center on Wednesday.
To one side of the Vikings locker room stood punt returner Marcus Sherels, one of the franchise’s all-time overachievers. He replaces Beebe the punt returner, who ultimately replaced Sherels after the Rochester native and former Gopher signed with the Saints in March.
“They asked me if I’d be ready to go; I told them yes,” said the 31-year-old former undrafted nobody who now owns nearly every team punt return record, including five career touchdowns, one of which came at Chicago, where the Vikings play Sunday.