Was it really just two years ago that the Minnesota Vikings were coming off an overtime loss in the NFC Championship Game and appeared to be a team stocked with talent?

That sure seems like a long time ago.

The Vikings went 3-13 last season and will be picking third in the first round of this year’s draft. The 2011 Vikings were plagued by a lot of problems.

Among them:

• Bad quarterback decision to sign and play Donovan McNabb, who was eventually benched after six games.

• Bad defense. The Vikings were 21st overall and 31st against the pass.

• Bad offensive line play. The Vikings were 25th in sacks per pass play.

• Injuries. They were hit with a ton of them, the worst a late-season knee injury suffered by star running back Adrian Peterson, one that could slow him to open the 2012 season.

Coach Leslie Frazier faces a big challenge to turn this team around. There are a lot of holes, especially if Peterson can’t bounce back.

QB: The Vikings drafted Christian Ponder in the first round last year and many people scoffed. But he did some good things once he took over for McNabb. He is a smart player who understands the passing game and will get better as the people around him improve. He had 10 starts, but seemed to struggle as the season moved on. Joe Webb took over late when Ponder got hurt and also impressed. Webb is much more mobile, and that helped playing behind a bad offensive line. But if the Vikings are to make big strides here, it has to be with Ponder.

RB: The Vikings have one of the game’s best in Peterson, but how effective will he be coming off the torn-up knee? Peterson is one of those players who will put in the work, but there is no guarantee he will be the same player. He’s also entering his sixth season. Backup Toby Gerhart is also coming off a knee injury, but a lesser one. He was hurt in the team’s final game but is expected to be ready by late May. Gerhart impressed at times last season, rushing for 531 yards. Percy Harvin carries from the backfield at times and gained 345 yards. Lex Hilliard, Caleb King and Jordan Todman are the backups as of now.

WR: Harvin is this unit’s best player, but he averaged just 11.1 per catch on his 87 receptions. He has too much speed for that number to be that low. The problem is there isn’t much around him. Michael Jenkins has never played to his 40 time and had 38 catches for 466 yards. Devin Aromashodu caught 26 passes, but he did average 18 yards per catch. There isn’t much experience behind those three. Stephen Burton did catch two passes for 38 yards last season as a rookie and has some ability.

TE: Kyle Rudolph flashed future star potential as a rookie. He caught 26 passes but will increase that number a bunch this season. He is a big target who has decent speed. He will become one of Ponder’s go-to guys this season. The Vikings signed John Carlson from Seattle as a free agent. He is also a former Notre Dame tight end who is a capable receiver. Look for more two-tight sets. Mickey Shuler is listed as the third tight end.

OL: The line struggled in a big way in 2011. Left tackle Charles Johnson was overmatched by speed rushers and really was a problem. They need an upgrade there in the worst way. Johnson could slide inside to guard. Steve Hutchinson, the team’s left guard, was released for cap reasons and signed with Tennessee. Johnson could move to that spot to battle Joe Berger if a tackle were drafted early. Brandon Fusco is also in the mix. John Sullivan is a good center, although big players on his nose can give him problems. The right guard will be Geoff Schwartz, who comes over from Carolina. He was mostly used as a tackle with the Panthers. The right tackle is Phil Loadholt, who needs to amp up his game. He looks the part, but seems to coast at times. DeMarcus Love is the top backup at tackle. They will certainly use one pick and maybe two to upgrade this line.

DL: Jared Allen had a special season with 22 sacks. He proved that he has good football left in his body. He plays with a relentless style and has a great knack for getting to the quarterback. Brian Robison took over as the starter at left end when Ray Edwards left and did a nice job with eight sacks. It has to help that teams focus on Allen first. Everson Griffen is an athletic reserve at end who had four sacks. Christian Ballard, a rookie last year from Iowa, had eight quarterback hurries and should have a bigger role this season, maybe even some at tackle. Kevin Williams didn’t look as good last season as he had in previous years when he was dominant. He could be slowing down at the age of 32. Remi Ayodele wasn’t the answer next to him, so Letroy Guion will get the first shot there. He’s been a capable backup, who had three starts last season. Fred Evans is a good backup.

LB: Chad Greenway remains a steady player on the defense and led the team in tackles. He isn’t flashy, but gets the job done. Erin Henderson, who was fourth in tackles last season, will start on the weak side. The change will come in the middle where E.J. Henderson, Erin’s brother, is no longer with the team after being second in tackles last season. Jasper Brinkley, who spent last season on injured-reserve, will get the first crack to win the job if E.J. Henderson, who is still unsigned, doesn’t return. Marvin Mitchell and Tyrone McKenzie are backups inside with Larry Dean outside.

DB: The secondary was terrible. Teams threw all over the Vikings as they finished second-to-last in pass defense. Injuries crippled this unit. Only strong safety Jamarca Sanford opened as a starter and finished as a starter. He led the team with two picks. Two. Mistral Raymond started five games as a rookie and made a lot of mistakes. But he is expected to be the first one to get a shot to start opposite Sanford. Eric Frampton and Andrew Sendejo are the reserves. The Vikings added Zach Bowman and Chris Carr as free-agent corners to give this unit some help. Veteran Antoine Winfield, who played just five games because of injuries, is also back. Chris Cook, who had some off-field issues, is expected to be one starter. Asher Allen is a top reserve.

The Minnesota Vikings’ revolving door of big-name, aging quarterbacks appears to be over – even with one of the best of all time suddenly available.

The Vikings will not enter the Peyton Manning sweepstakes, according to a person with direct knowledge of the situation, opting to move forward with Christian Ponder and backup Joe Webb.

Manning, released Wednesday by the Indianapolis Colts to avoid paying a $28 million roster bonus, has attracted up to a dozen suitors, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The Miami Dolphins, Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks are expected to be among the most ardent pursuers of the 35-year-old former Super Bowl winner.

The Vikings have been partial to older quarterbacks in the past. Brett

Favre was 39 when he began a two-year stint as Vikings starter, followed by 34-year-old Donovan McNabb starting opening day in 2011.

But instability at the position prompted the Vikings to take Ponder with the 12th overall pick in 2011. Ponder took the starting job from McNabb after six games and finished his rookie season passing for 1,825 yards, 13 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, competing 54.3 percent of his attempts.

The Minnesota Vikings have the daunting task of completely overhauling their roster ahead of them this offseason. Although free agency and the 2012 NFL Draft will certainly help them achieve that, there is still one other talent pool that they can tap into before the beginning of the 2012 season: undrafted free agents.

On Monday, the Vikings began the process of scouting some potential undrafted free agents when GM Rick Spielman and several other team officials attended the University of Minnesota Pro Day.

Among a sea of 27 local NFL hopefuls were eight former Golden Gophers, including running back Duane Bennett, offensive lineman Chris Bunders, defensive tackles Anthony Jacobs and Brandon Kirksey, tight end Eric Lair, wide receiver Da’Jon McKnight, cornerback Kim Royston and linebacker Gary Tinsley.

Joining the Vikings’ staff among the spectators were scouts/coaches for the Green Bay Packers, Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots, New York Giants and Seattle Seahawks.

Even though most of the participants had exceptional workouts, a few Gophers really made their presence felt.

One of the biggest standouts was Jacobs, who impressed scouts with a 4.7 40 time, 10.1 inch broad jump and a 35.5 inch vertical jump. For a player of his size (6’2”, 291 pounds), those numbers really say a lot about the type of athlete that Jacobs is.

Bennett also made scouts take notice when he put up 28 reps during the bench press, equaling the highest mark by a running back at the recent 2012 NFL Scouting Combine.

“I was banking anywhere 25 or greater,” Bennett said. “But when I knocked out the first 15, I was kind of like ‘Oh, wow. I’m really going up there.’ I kind of caught myself off guard.”

The other standout of the day was Lair, who posted consecutive 40 times in the 4.5 range and turned in a 36.5 inch vertical jump. Despite admittedly begin nervous, Lair turned in a terrific workout and was pleased with the results.

“Today went fantastic,” Lair said. “Better than I thought it would be. I did well in my position drills, even though I didn’t catch many balls over the break. But yeah, I did better than I thought I would.”

When all was said and done, a number of prospects had increased their draft stock and given themselves reason to believe that they might hear their names called on draft day. Until then, all they can do is stay in shape and prepare mentally for what their futures hold.

“All these kids are going to be late-round, free-agent type guys,” Spielman said. “Hopefully, there will be some guys that we’ll definitely invite or maybe sign in college free agency.”

Although it’s unlikely that many former Gophers will get drafted in late April, the Vikings will give a number of them an opportunity to tryout during their rookie camp the weekend after the draft.

“I think that’s huge as far as the relationship with all the state of Minnesota and all the states that are our neighbors,” Spielman said. “If they have some players that we can help out or take a look at, we should definitely do that and we do do that.”

As evidenced by the Vikings’ signing of former Gophers cornerback Marcus Sherels back in 2010, those rookie tryouts can be just the stepping stone a budding NFL talent needs.

For those 27 potential NFL prospects, the waiting game begins.

Gil Alcaraz IV is a life-long follower of the Minnesota Vikings and the founder of TheVikingDen.com. For more Vikings/NFL coverage, follow him on Twitter or “like” The Viking Den on Facebook.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Vikings are going younger this offseason. Some of their most experienced starters have contracts and ages that make them candidates for a pay cut — or for being cut from the team.

One of them is five-time All-Pro guard Steve Hutchinson, who is scheduled to make $6.95 million in 2012, the final installment of a seven-year deal worth as much as $49 million. He is aware of the way his salary sticks out.

“I know what the cap situation is and all that, but it’s out of my control,” said the 34-year-old Hutchinson, a 2001 first-round draft choice of the Seahawks who played for Seattle through the 2005 season.

Hutchinson said he wouldn’t be surprised if the Vikings ask him to redo his deal to stay this season. He also acknowledged he has considered the possibility of being let go before the new league season begins and free agency opens next month.

“Any player has to worry about that in the NFL,” Hutchinson said Monday.

Last year, the Vikings jettisoned left tackle Bryant McKinnie and wide receiver Bernard Berrian well ahead of the expiration of their contracts. Right guard Anthony Herrera, set to draw $2.65 million this season, is another candidate for the same fate, though cornerback Cedric Griffin, with three more years on his deal at more than $14 million combined, is the most glaring contender after a down season.

Hutchinson, 6 feet 5 and 313 pounds, is a mainstay of the offensive line. He started 131 consecutive games, including the playoffs, until a broken right thumb sidelined him at the end of 2010. His last of seven Pro Bowl selections came in the 2009 season, and his durability and dominant blocking aren’t what they were.

But the Vikings would surely miss him if he goes.

They averaged 144.9 yards rushing per game last season, ranking fourth in the league, despite a new left tackle and instability at right guard.

When asked to assess his performance in 2011, Hutchinson said he played “great.”

After shoulder surgery in 2010 to repair an injury he played through in 2009, Hutchinson wasn’t as strong that year as he wanted to be because of all the time spent on rehabilitation rather than training. With extra time to rest last summer during the lockout, he got healthier.

“It was the best shape I’ve been in in a number of years,” Hutchinson said.

Note

• Kansas City agreed to terms on a $19.6 million, three-year deal with cornerback Stanford Routt, 28, which could help the Chiefs absorb the potential loss of cornerback Brandon Carr, 25.

Routt is still owed $5 million next month from the Oakland Raiders, who released him after the first year of a $54.4 million, five-year deal.

In hopes of lightening the load on their already-depleted wide receiving corps, the Minnesota Vikings have added two young pass-catchers to their practice squad.

The Vikings signed wide receivers Kris Adams and Owen Spencer to the practice squad on Monday. These acquisitions come on the heels of Stephen Burton’s move to the Injured Reserve list and Emmanuel Arceneaux’s promotion to the active roster.

Now with the Vikings, Adams and Spencer will join former Arizona State standout Kerry Taylor as the team’s practice squad wide receivers.

Adams, an undrafted rookie out of UTEP, spent the first few months of his young NFL career with the Chicago Bears and St. Louis Rams. After spending the preseason in a Bears uniform, Adams was cut and then re-signed to the practice squad but was eventually released. On Oct. 18, Adams was signed to the Rams practice squad but was cut less than a month later. Minnesota will now be his third NFL destination since he went undrafted.

The 6’4”, 195 pound receiver made a name from himself during college as a deep threat who could stretch the field and make highlight catches in traffic. Combining great length with exceptional speed (4.4 40 time), he averaged over 19 yards per catch in his final three seasons at UTEP. His lack of size and blocking ability are definitely negatives, but he makes up for it with his competitiveness and work ethic.

Spencer, another undrafted rookie out of North Carolina State, will now be on his fourth NFL roster after joining the Vikings. Initially signed by the Tennessee Titans, Spencer was cut right before the beginning of the 2011 regular season. Since the beginning of the regular season, he has spent time with both the Seattle Seahawks and Detroit Lions but was out on the street for over two months before the Vikings brought him aboard.

Much like Adams, Spencer is another deep threat who can pick up big chunks of yardage in small amounts of time. During his time at NC State, Spencer racked up a career 19.4 yards per catch average while earning himself second-team All-ACC honors during his senior year. He also holds the ACC record with his 25.5 yards per catch average during the 2009 season. Although he lacks significant straight-line speed and the ability to consistently create separation, Spencer is a solid possession receiver who uses his frame and soft hands to make plays.

In order to open up on the appropriate space for the two wide receivers, the Vikings cut offensive tackle Butch Lewis from the practice squad. The other opening was made available due to Arceneaux’s promotion.

It’s unlikely that either will see the field with only three games remaining for the Vikings. Adams and Spencer will, however, have enough time to prove whether or not they deserve another shot when the 2012 NFL season rolls around.

Gil Alcaraz IV is a life-long follower of the Minnesota Vikings and the founder of TheVikingDen.com. For more Vikings/NFL coverage, follow him on Twitter or “like” The Viking Den on Facebook.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

By
Sportsmail Reporter

Last updated at 12:22 PM on 10th October 2011

Minnesota’s star running back Adrian Peterson bagged a hat-trick of first-quarter touchdowns as the Vikings kick-started their hitherto dismal season with a 34-10 victory over the Arizona Cardinals.

Donovan McNabb added a score as the Vikings moved to 1-4 for the season on the back of a flying start.

Deep Purple: Minnesota Vikings got off the mark with a win over the Cardinals

McNabb’s TD and the heroics of Peterson – who rushed 29 times for a total of 122 yards – made it 28-0 inside 12 minutes, a position from which the Cardinals (1-4) found it impossible to recover.

Ben Roethlisberger equalled a team record five touchdown passes as the Pittsburgh Steelers eased to a 38-17 triumph over the Tennessee Titans.

Hines Ward was on the receiving end of two of Roethlisberger’s scoring passes, while Mike Wallace, Heath Miller and David Johnson also crossed for the 3-2 Steelers.

In the thick of it: Barnett celebrates a touchdown against the Eagles

Tennessee are also 3-2 and saw a three-game winning streak ended by this defeat. The Oakland Raiders honoured the memory of owner Al Davis with a 25-20 win over the Houston Texans.

Jason Campbell threw two touchdown passes to lift the 3-2 Raiders to victory just one day after the 82-year-old Davis died at his Oakland home. Matt Schaub threw for 416 yards and two touchdowns for the 3-2 Texans.

Under fire: Jim Caldwell’s Indianapolis Colts are without a win this term

Pierre Thomas’ last-minute touchdown lifted the New Orleans Saints to a narrow 30-27 victory over the Carolina Panthers.

Drew Brees found Thomas wide open for a six-yard score with just 50 seconds remaining in the contest. Brees threw for a total of 359 yards and two touchdowns as the Saints improved to 4-1.

The Panthers, meanwhile, slip to 1-4 despite the efforts of Cam Newton, who threw for 224 yards and two touchdowns.

Astrong defensive showing lifted the Buffalo Bills to a 31-24 win over the Philadelphia Eagles.

Linebacker Nick Barnett had two of Buffalo’s four interceptions, scoring on a 31-yard interception and later confirming the win as he forced the turnover when grabbing Michael Vick’s pass to Jason Avant inside the final two minutes.

The win lifts the Bills to 4-1 while the Eagles’ four-game losing streak leaves them at 1-4.

Elsewhere, Brandon Browner’s 94-yard interception set the seal on the Seattle Seahawks’ 36-25 win over the New York Giants, Matt Cassel threw for 257 yards and four touchdowns as the Kansas City Chiefs posted a 28-24 victory over the winless Indianapolis Colts, and Andy Dalton threw two touchdown passes to help the Cincinnati Bengals to a 30-20 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Alex Smith threw two of his three touchdown passes to Vernon Davis, Frank Gore ran for a score in his second straight 100-yard rushing game and the San Francisco 49ers beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 48-3.

It represented the 49ers’ best start in nine years. BenJarvus Green-Ellis ran for a career-high 136 yards and two touchdowns as the New England Patriots beat the New York Jets 30-21.

Tom Brady completed 24 of 33 passes for 321 yards and one touchdown. Philip Rivers led the San Diego Chargers to a 29-24 win over Denver despite Tim Tebow’s attempt to rally the Broncos from a 16-point deficit.

Aaron Rodgers led the unbeaten Green Bay Packers back from a sluggish start for a 25-14 victory over the Atlanta Falcons. Rodgers threw for 396 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

By Christopher Gates

– Managing Editor

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Oct 6, 2011 – The Minnesota Vikings are one of only four winless teams in the National Football League as we hit the quarter-pole of the 2011 season. The Vikings currently sit at 0-4, not having lost a game by more than a touchdown, and already four games behind two teams in their division, as the only two 4-0 teams in the NFL both happen to occupy spots in the NFC North.

Their opponents this Sunday, the Arizona Cardinals, have had some issues of their own to deal with. After a victory in their season opener against the Carolina Panthers, the Cardinals have dropped three in a row, blowing second-half leads in each of those cases. They allowed the Washington Redskins to come back from an eight-point fourth-quarter deficit to lose 22-21 in Week 2, and allowed the Seattle Seahawks to come from behind in Week 3 to beat them, 13-10. Last week against the New York Giants, the Cardinals led 27-17 with just over three minutes left in the game, but allowed the Giants to score two touchdowns in the final three minutes to lose 31-27.

The last game between these two teams was a pretty memorable one as far as on-field action is concerned, as the Vikings hosted the Cardinals in Week 9 of the 2010 season. The Cardinals had a two-touchdown lead in the fourth quarter, and stopped the Vikings on fourth down at the Arizona 1-yard line with just over six minutes left in the ball game. However, Brett Favre brought the Vikings back behind a career-high 446 yards passing, leading the Vikings on two touchdown drives at the end of regulation. After the Vikings stopped the Cardinals on the first possession of overtime, the Vikings moved downfield and got in range for a 35-yard field goal by Ryan Longwell to give Minnesota a 27-24 victory.

Kickoff for this one is scheduled for noon Central time, and the game will be shown on Fox.

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Minnesota Vikings owner Zygi Wilf arrives for an NFL owners labor committee meeting in College Park, Ga., on Thursday, July 21, 2011. (AP Photo/John Bazemore) (John Bazemore)

Look for an announcement that Minnesota Vikings owner Zygi Wilf, who has pledged to pay $407 million of the cost of a proposed $1.1 billion stadium complex in Arden Hills, will increase his contribution to slightly more than $420 million.

Wilf hopes that will encourage Gov. Mark Dayton to call a special legislative session this fall to approve a stadium financing plan. Dayton is said to be aware of Wilf’s increased contribution.

The current Arden Hills proposal includes $350 million from Ramsey County and $300 million from the state of Minnesota.

- Although talks this week about a roof for the proposed stadium moved from retractable to fixed to reduce the cost, the Vikings would prefer a moving roof because Wilf wants to get a Major League Soccer franchise. None of the 18 MLS teams plays in a fixed-roof stadium.

Average attendance for MLS teams this year is 17,428. The Seattle Sounders lead the league, averaging 37,062 for 13 matches, followed by the Los Angeles Galaxy (23,051). The MLS plays an 18-game schedule.

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. – Marcus Sherels is listed at 5-foot-10 on the Minnesota Vikings roster. He’s probably closer to 5-8. On his tiptoes.

He didn’t start playing cornerback until halfway through his college career and played on one of the worst defenses in the nation as a senior at the University of Minnesota.

So his resume didn’t exactly scream “NFL prospect” when he showed up for a tryout with the Minnesota Vikings, alongside dozens of other hopefuls and wannabes about a year and a half ago.

But every time Sherels seems ready to be counted out, he finds a way to make it impossible for the Vikings to let him go.

In a defensive backfield full of question marks, Sherels has been making enough plays this preseason to make the coaches forget about his mistakes and give him serious consideration for a spot on the 53-man roster.

“He seems to be one of those guys,” defensive backs coach Joe Woods said of Sherels’ knack for being around the ball. “Every couple of years I’ll get a guy like that and right now he’s that guy.”

With so many players to evaluate in such a short period of time, one little mistake can be the difference between making the team and getting cut. Sherels dug himself a hole on Saturday night in Seattle when he lost a fumble on a punt return in the first half, earning him an earful from special teams coordinator Mike Priefer.

“The great thing about him, he came off the sideline and I was talking to him, he was looking me in the eye,” Priefer said. “He didn’t put his head down and feel sorry for himself. He knew he made a mistake and I was giving him a friendly reminder of what he needed to do, not to do that again.”

It didn’t take Sherels long to get back into everyone’s good graces. On the very next series, he intercepted a pass and raced 64 yards for a touchdown in the 20-7 victory, a play that stands as the Vikings only touchdown in two preseason games so far.

“You have to come prepared like you’re going to be on the 53, day-in and day-out,” Sherels said.

That he is even in position to think about making the roster of an NFL team is an accomplishment in itself. Sherels came to the Golden Gophers from Rochester, Minn., as a receiver and spent his first two seasons at the position. The coaching staff then asked him to make the drastic move of switching to defense.

“I was a little skeptical at first,” Sherels said. “But it was a natural adjustment. I figured out that I like cornerback a lot better than receiver.”

The Gophers were one of the worst teams in the country during Sherels’ final two years in maroon and gold, so it was no surprise that an undersized cornerback who had only been playing the position for two years went undrafted in 2010.

Like his brother Mike, who played linebacker for the Gophers, Marcus got an offer to tryout with the Vikings. He did enough to impress the coaches that he earned a roster spot for training camp before spending most of last season on the practice squad.

With a year of practice, and watching fellow small guy Antoine Winfield excel in a big man’s game, Sherels has been even more impressive this year with his ball skills, timing and knowledge of the defense.

“He doesn’t talk at all. I’ve probably heard him talk openly in a meeting a hand full of times,” Woods said. “But he’s always into it. We give those guys tests, just in terms of our information, coverage-wise, offensive ID. He scores higher than everybody. He just studies it.”

Coach Leslie Frazier said Sherels showed up for training camp with an extra 10 pounds of muscle to help him battle the receivers that dwarf him across the line of scrimmage. The quiet kid has also been carrying himself with a little more swagger.

“A combination of the two has probably contributed to the way he’s playing,” Frazier said. “He’s performing well for us and looking forward to see how he does in these next two ball games, but he’s really done a good job.”

With Cedric Griffin and Chris Cook both coming off of knee injuries and Asher Allen missing a lot of time in the preseason with a toe injury, the opportunity is there for Sherels. His ability to return punts — and hold on to the ball — may be the difference in him making the team or not.

“It was disappointing what happened to him last week but I still have a lot of faith in what he can accomplish for us,” Priefer said. “Hopefully, he’ll do well with his opportunities.”

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EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. – Marcus Sherels is listed at five-foot-10 on the Minnesota Vikings roster. He’s probably closer to 5-8. On his tiptoes.

He didn’t start playing cornerback until halfway through his college career and played on one of the worst defences in the nation as a senior at the University of Minnesota.

So his resume didn’t exactly scream “NFL prospect” when he showed up for a tryout with the Minnesota Vikings, alongside dozens of other hopefuls and wannabes about a year and a half ago.

But every time Sherels seems ready to be counted out, he finds a way to make it impossible for the Vikings to let him go.

In a defensive backfield full of question marks, Sherels has been making enough plays this pre-season to make the coaches forget about his mistakes and give him serious consideration for a spot on the 53-man roster.

“He seems to be one of those guys,” defensive backs coach Joe Woods said of Sherels’ knack for being around the ball. “Every couple of years I’ll get a guy like that and right now he’s that guy.”

With so many players to evaluate in such a short period of time, one little mistake can be the difference between making the team and getting cut. Sherels dug himself a hole on Saturday night in Seattle when he lost a fumble on a punt return in the first half, earning him an earful from special teams co-ordinator Mike Priefer.

“The great thing about him, he came off the sideline and I was talking to him, he was looking me in the eye,” Priefer said. “He didn’t put his head down and feel sorry for himself. He knew he made a mistake and I was giving him a friendly reminder of what he needed to do, not to do that again.”

It didn’t take Sherels long to get back into everyone’s good graces. On the very next series, he intercepted a pass and raced 64 yards for a touchdown in the 20-7 victory, a play that stands as the Vikings only touchdown in two pre-season games so far.

“You have to come prepared like you’re going to be on the 53, day-in and day-out,” Sherels said.

That he is even in position to think about making the roster of an NFL team is an accomplishment in itself. Sherels came to the Golden Gophers from Rochester, Minn., as a receiver and spent his first two seasons at the position. The coaching staff then asked him to make the drastic move of switching to defence.

“I was a little skeptical at first,” Sherels said. “But it was a natural adjustment. I figured out that I like cornerback a lot better than receiver.”

The Gophers were one of the worst teams in the country during Sherels’ final two years in maroon and gold, so it was no surprise that an undersized cornerback who had only been playing the position for two years went undrafted in 2010.

Like his brother Mike, who played linebacker for the Gophers, Marcus got an offer to tryout with the Vikings. He did enough to impress the coaches that he earned a roster spot for training camp before spending most of last season on the practice squad.

With a year of practice, and watching fellow small guy Antoine Winfield excel in a big man’s game, Sherels has been even more impressive this year with his ball skills, timing and knowledge of the defence.

“He doesn’t talk at all. I’ve probably heard him talk openly in a meeting a hand full of times,” Woods said. “But he’s always into it. We give those guys tests, just in terms of our information, coverage-wise, offensive ID. He scores higher than everybody. He just studies it.”

Coach Leslie Frazier said Sherels showed up for training camp with an extra 10 pounds of muscle to help him battle the receivers that dwarf him across the line of scrimmage. The quiet kid has also been carrying himself with a little more swagger.

“A combination of the two has probably contributed to the way he’s playing,” Frazier said. “He’s performing well for us and looking forward to see how he does in these next two ball games, but he’s really done a good job.”

With Cedric Griffin and Chris Cook both coming off of knee injuries and Asher Allen missing a lot of time in the pre-season with a toe injury, the opportunity is there for Sherels. His ability to return punts — and hold on to the ball — may be the difference in him making the team or not.

“It was disappointing what happened to him last week but I still have a lot of faith in what he can accomplish for us,” Priefer said. “Hopefully, he’ll do well with his opportunities.”

NOTES: The Vikings waived WR Dominique Johnson and signed LB Kyle O’Donnell, a rookie from Liberty to help add depth at the position. LBs Kenny Onatolu, Heath Farwell and Jasper Brinkley have all missed time with injuries early in the pre-season.

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) — Marcus Sherels is listed at 5-foot-10 on the Minnesota Vikings roster. He’s probably closer to 5-8. On his tiptoes.

He didn’t start playing cornerback until halfway through his college career and played on one of the worst defenses in the nation as a senior at the University of Minnesota.

So his resume didn’t exactly scream “NFL prospect” when he showed up for a tryout with the Minnesota Vikings, alongside dozens of other hopefuls and wannabes about a year and a half ago.

But every time Sherels seems ready to be counted out, he finds a way to make it impossible for the Vikings to let him go.

In a defensive backfield full of question marks, Sherels has been making enough plays this preseason to make the coaches forget about his mistakes and give him serious consideration for a spot on the 53-man roster.

“He seems to be one of those guys,” defensive backs coach Joe Woods said of Sherels’ knack for being around the ball. “Every couple of years I’ll get a guy like that and right now he’s that guy.”

With so many players to evaluate in such a short period of time, one little mistake can be the difference between making the team and getting cut. Sherels dug himself a hole on Saturday night in Seattle when he lost a fumble on a punt return in the first half, earning him an earful from special teams coordinator Mike Priefer.

“The great thing about him, he came off the sideline and I was talking to him, he was looking me in the eye,” Priefer said. “He didn’t put his head down and feel sorry for himself. He knew he made a mistake and I was giving him a friendly reminder of what he needed to do, not to do that again.”

It didn’t take Sherels long to get back into everyone’s good graces. On the very next series, he intercepted a pass and raced 64 yards for a touchdown in the 20-7 victory, a play that stands as the Vikings only touchdown in two preseason games so far.

“You have to come prepared like you’re going to be on the 53, day-in and day-out,” Sherels said.

That he is even in position to think about making the roster of an NFL team is an accomplishment in itself. Sherels came to the Golden Gophers from Rochester, Minn., as a receiver and spent his first two seasons at the position. The coaching staff then asked him to make the drastic move of switching to defense.

“I was a little skeptical at first,” Sherels said. “But it was a natural adjustment. I figured out that I like cornerback a lot better than receiver.”

The Gophers were one of the worst teams in the country during Sherels’ final two years in maroon and gold, so it was no surprise that an undersized cornerback who had only been playing the position for two years went undrafted in 2010.

Like his brother Mike, who played linebacker for the Gophers, Marcus got an offer to tryout with the Vikings. He did enough to impress the coaches that he earned a roster spot for training camp before spending most of last season on the practice squad.

With a year of practice, and watching fellow small guy Antoine Winfield excel in a big man’s game, Sherels has been even more impressive this year with his ball skills, timing and knowledge of the defense.

“He doesn’t talk at all. I’ve probably heard him talk openly in a meeting a hand full of times,” Woods said. “But he’s always into it. We give those guys tests, just in terms of our information, coverage-wise, offensive ID. He scores higher than everybody. He just studies it.”

Coach Leslie Frazier said Sherels showed up for training camp with an extra 10 pounds of muscle to help him battle the receivers that dwarf him across the line of scrimmage. The quiet kid has also been carrying himself with a little more swagger.

“A combination of the two has probably contributed to the way he’s playing,” Frazier said. “He’s performing well for us and looking forward to see how he does in these next two ball games, but he’s really done a good job.”

With Cedric Griffin and Chris Cook both coming off of knee injuries and Asher Allen missing a lot of time in the preseason with a toe injury, the opportunity is there for Sherels. His ability to return punts — and hold on to the ball — may be the difference in him making the team or not.

“It was disappointing what happened to him last week but I still have a lot of faith in what he can accomplish for us,” Priefer said. “Hopefully, he’ll do well with his opportunities.”

NOTES: The Vikings waived WR Dominique Johnson and signed LB Kyle O’Donnell, a rookie from Liberty to help add depth at the position. LBs Kenny Onatolu, Heath Farwell and Jasper Brinkley have all missed time with injuries early in the preseason.

(© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

So his resume didn’t exactly scream “NFL prospect” when he showed up for a tryout with the Minnesota Vikings, alongside dozens of other hopefuls and wannabes about a year and a half ago.

But every time Sherels seems ready to be counted out, he finds a way to make it impossible for the Vikings to let him go.

In a defensive backfield full of question marks, Sherels has been making enough plays this preseason to make the coaches forget about his mistakes and give him serious consideration for a spot on the 53-man roster.

“He seems to be one of those guys,” defensive backs coach Joe Woods said of Sherels’ knack for being around the ball. “Every couple of years I’ll get a guy like that and right now he’s that guy.”

With so many players to evaluate in such a short period of time, one little mistake can be the difference between making the team and getting cut. Sherels dug himself a hole on Saturday night in Seattle when he lost a fumble on a punt return in the first half, earning him an earful from special teams coordinator Mike Priefer.

“The great thing about him, he came off the sideline and I was talking to him, he was looking me in the eye,” Priefer said. “He didn’t put his head down and feel sorry for himself. He knew he made a mistake and I was giving him a friendly reminder of what he needed to do, not to do that again.”

It didn’t take Sherels long to get back into everyone’s good graces. On the very next series, he intercepted a pass and raced 64 yards for a touchdown in the 20-7 victory, a play that stands as the Vikings only touchdown in two preseason games so far.

“You have to come prepared like you’re going to be on the 53, day-in and day-out,” Sherels said.

That he is even in position to think about making the roster of an NFL team is an accomplishment in itself. Sherels came to the Golden Gophers from Rochester, Minn., as a receiver and spent his first two seasons at the position. The coaching staff then asked him to make the drastic move of switching to defense.

“I was a little skeptical at first,” Sherels said. “But it was a natural adjustment. I figured out that I like cornerback a lot better than receiver.”

The Gophers were one of the worst teams in the country during Sherels’ final two years in maroon and gold, so it was no surprise that an undersized cornerback who had only been playing the position for two years went undrafted in 2010.

Like his brother Mike, who played linebacker for the Gophers, Marcus got an offer to tryout with the Vikings. He did enough to impress the coaches that he earned a roster spot for training camp before spending most of last season on the practice squad.

With a year of practice, and watching fellow small guy Antoine Winfield excel in a big man’s game, Sherels has been even more impressive this year with his ball skills, timing and knowledge of the defense.

“He doesn’t talk at all. I’ve probably heard him talk openly in a meeting a hand full of times,” Woods said. “But he’s always into it. We give those guys tests, just in terms of our information, coverage-wise, offensive ID. He scores higher than everybody. He just studies it.”

Coach Leslie Frazier said Sherels showed up for training camp with an extra 10 pounds of muscle to help him battle the receivers that dwarf him across the line of scrimmage. The quiet kid has also been carrying himself with a little more swagger.

“A combination of the two has probably contributed to the way he’s playing,” Frazier said. “He’s performing well for us and looking forward to see how he does in these next two ball games, but he’s really done a good job.”

With Cedric Griffin and Chris Cook both coming off of knee injuries and Asher Allen missing a lot of time in the preseason with a toe injury, the opportunity is there for Sherels. His ability to return punts — and hold on to the ball — may be the difference in him making the team or not.

“It was disappointing what happened to him last week but I still have a lot of faith in what he can accomplish for us,” Priefer said. “Hopefully, he’ll do well with his opportunities.”

NOTES: The Vikings waived WR Dominique Johnson and signed LB Kyle O’Donnell, a rookie from Liberty to help add depth at the position. LBs Kenny Onatolu, Heath Farwell and Jasper Brinkley have all missed time with injuries early in the preseason.

___

Follow Jon Krawczynski on Twitter: www.twitter.com/APkrawczynski.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

But there were signs of progress during their exhibition game victory at Seattle during the weekend, and an identity under new coordinator Bill Musgrave has begun to emerge.

“Anytime you’re complacent and think you’ve got it all figured out, that’s when you’re going to lose,” wide receiver Percy Harvin said, adding: “Still got a lot of time so we’re going to get it done.”

The first-stringers still haven’t produced a touchdown in two preseason games, spanning four series, but quarterback Donovan McNabb and the Vikings moved the ball against the Seahawks. They went from their own 1-yard line Saturday night to the Seattle 18 before settling for a field goal.

McNabb’s throws were spread around, and that will probably be a season-long trend. When Musgrave was the quarterbacks coach in Atlanta, the Falcons used their tight ends and running backs as passing targets frequently, and they handed the ball to Michael Turner often as the featured runner.