'A good chance' Vikings will begin season with three punt returners

How many current Vikings does it take to replace a Marcus Sherels?

Three, apparently.

Asked Thursday to describe his confidence in the team's new punt returner, special teams coordinator Marwan Maalouf said there's "a good chance" the team will use not one, but three punt returners when it opens the season against Atlanta on Sunday.

Receivers Chad Beebe and Olabisi Johnson and running back Ameer Abdullah each returned punts in the preseason. And that, Maalouf said, could continue into the regular season with each returner being assigned an area on the field.

"We feel good about it," Maalouf said. "We've got three guys who can possibly do it. It will depend on the situation and where we're at in…