Devin Hester No Shows

by WCG on Jul 23, 2008 4:29 PM CDT Comment 22 comments

And the hits just keep on coming. Still in a contract dispute with the front office, Devin Hester did not show for the first day of Bears training camp.

Talks on a contract extension ran out of time and the team is expected to fine him $15,000 a day.

The problem is figuring his value as the Bears think he could be a No. 1 receiver. Hester, a two-time Pro Bowler, is scheduled to make $445,000.

The Bears need to give the guy his money, but Hester also needs to get into camp. If he wants #1 receiver money he needs to win a #1 receiver spot. Being out of camp for any amount of time doesn't help.

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exactly

If he wants #1 receiver money he needs to win a #1 receiver spot

all he’s earned right now is number 1 returner money.

by mike b on Jul 23, 2008 4:45 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Money vs Playing Time

Looks like someone has been listing to deion sanders instead of trying to become a better player P.S. the last dred head to pull this stuff with the bears got his job took

by WavyGravy on Jul 23, 2008 5:04 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

What a rosy world you folks seem to be living in...

after watching Urlacher get his deal redone, why wait to get injured to get your deal?

I agree he doesn’t deserve #1 WR money, but he certainly deserves a raise. Are we expecting Marty Booker to score TD’s and stretch the field or soemthing?

Visit The NEW Cub Reporter (thecubreporter.com)

by thecubreporter on Jul 23, 2008 5:48 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

probably not

but i hope you aren’t expecting hester to give us more than 3 return tds and 3 receiving tds this year, because he probably isn’t gonna get more than that. teams will stop kicking to him and he isn’t going to be much of a threat at wide receiver yet.

by lopey986 on Jul 24, 2008 12:42 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

exactly

they’ll stop kicking to him unless the offense can move the ball.

and he can only run the go route, which is good since the last thing people should want is him anywhere between the hashes, its a guaranteed fumble or injury. Hit him on the go and hope he catches it, or hope they double him and leave the short field open.

Hopefully the defense is getting him more punts this year.

by mike b on Jul 24, 2008 12:46 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

look...

... I get that teams will stop kicking to him, but they did already somewhat do that last year.

And even if they do stop kicking to him, having Hester back there will give the Bears better field position if they don’t kick to him.

Without doing any statistical analysis, I would guess that an extra 10+ yards of field position make a pretty big difference.

visit the mindful mission

by big_lowitzki on Jul 24, 2008 2:00 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

sounds great

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/cs-080723-devin-hester-holdout-chicago-bears,0,3335522.story

Some highlights:

“I can’t go out and play this year making $445,000. Come on, man.’‘

“You should pay me like I’m one of a kind,’’ Hester said. “It’s like dating a girl. When you find somebody who is real special, you’re going to do whatever it takes to keep her. You might cut back on what you’re giving your mom to give to her. And that’s how I feel they should treat me.’‘

“A fair deal is paying me what I bring to this game and to this team,’’ Hester said. “If I put fans in the seats and make big plays, then I deserve to get paid more than what I’m getting paid. Pay me what I’m worth. I’m getting paid the same as a cat drafted in the sixth, seventh round my year who hasn’t played a down. It isn’t fair, man.’‘

“I’m like this — it’s not worth it to show up,’’ he said.

by mike b on Jul 23, 2008 8:37 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

that all being said

i wouldn’t be against slipping him a couple mil as a “attaboy” assuming they’re done signing other people.

by mike b on Jul 23, 2008 8:40 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I can't say

he’s lying. Most of the stuff he said here is true.

I also like how he says “I’m getting paid the same as a cat”. Ha, cats don’t get paid!

I am like your Dan Aykroyd and biglow would be Jane, the ignorant slut. -Chad

by thecoolest on Jul 23, 2008 9:03 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

He's definitely right

but going about it this way is so stupid. whoever is giving him advice should be canned. he would have gotten paid and likely won the starting WR spot had he shown up. Now he just created a messy situation where the Bears have no choice but to show that they don’t reward holdouts and he is going to have to stick to his laurels too, meanwhile getting zero practice at wr.

That being said, for all we know the money that the Bears are putting on the table is garbage and in that case he is probably making the right move for himself. Either way, this blows.

by Ando on Jul 23, 2008 10:12 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

#1 no more!

I’m sure glad Hester is already starting to waste his opportunity to be a starter. I guess Bradley (until he gets hurt), and Booker will start out.

by propheteer on Jul 23, 2008 11:59 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

quotes from lovie and angelo

Devin Hester can be a ‘1’ receiver in the league, I truly believe that," said coach Lovie Smith. "We’re excited about the steps he took this past season and the direction he’s going."

"Given his talent level and those snapshots we have seen of him, I think we have all seen he can be [a No. 1 receiver]," added general manager Jerry Angelo.

if this is the case, then they need to pay him. regardless, hes in their future plans at that spot…. this thing needs to end…. fast.

by rahulsriram on Jul 24, 2008 6:52 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

they have never said

a player can’t do something. really doesn’t mean much.

by mike b on Jul 24, 2008 9:31 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

if they see

him becoming a number one, presumably soon, then that means they should value you him at one and move on. They let Bernard go for reason and surely the only backup plan was not just bradley. Its way too risky.

a run offense is no good without the threat of a deep pass. hester is essential for this teams present and future.

by rahulsriram on Jul 24, 2008 12:34 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

berrian left the bears

for a better situation and similiar money. Said so himself. Hester is jsut as risky a prospect as bradley.

by mike b on Jul 24, 2008 12:42 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

He Deserves More

How many games have our #1 WR’s won for us over the years? How many games have #1 WR won for any team? I know it’s hard, but even as little as he’s seen the field as compared to a regular starter, he’s had by far a much bigger impact than any other player in the short time he’s been a Bear.

He deserves everything he can get and he deserves it now.

by bfos7215 on Jul 24, 2008 8:11 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

the bears have said all along they need to rework his deal. By sitting out he’s just creating bad blood between himself and the coaching staff. More importantly this is a guy who clearly needs a LOT of time to learn his routes I mean last year he had to be walked to where he was supposed to line up!!
He is getting bad advise (from deion likely), and he needs to be in camp. But he also needs to be making more (not Chad Johnson money) but more than any of the crap receivers the Bears currently have.

by The Ghost of Rusty Lisch on Jul 24, 2008 10:45 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

The Urlacher effect

THIS is why I was so pissed off about #54’s prima donna act. A true leader doesn’t whine publicly and make threats just so he gets his; all that does is create an atmosphere of me, me, me. And people like Hester see it, and figure why not me, too?

by garsky on Jul 24, 2008 12:32 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Some info from scout.com

It’s never a surprise when Devin Hester is the lead story on the field, but rarely is the superhuman return specialist making news off the field. Hester has expressed unhappiness with his contract situation for quite some time now, and even though he took part in minicamp and OTAs during the offseason, he finally played his trump card and was a no-show for the first day of training camp. The decision came as a surprise to general manager Jerry Angelo, who has been working with agent Eugene Parker for quite some time and knows that Hester is worthy of a raise. The two-time All-Pro is scheduled to make $445,000 this season and remains signed through 2009. Angelo better make something happen in a hurry because this offense needs a difference-maker, and every rep No. 23 misses makes his development into a capable wide receiver that much tougher. ...

well hopefully if they’ve been working on it, this won’t take long….

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by thecubreporter on Jul 24, 2008 1:08 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Some more info...

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/football/bears/1072177,CST-SPT-bear24.article

However, as profootballtalk.com reported, the deadline for players under contract to report and earn a season of credit toward free agency is Aug. 5. Hester would jeopardize that by going beyond that date, but he sounded like he was willing to go to any length to be compensated.

plus being fined $15,000 a day, so this certainly won’t last too long….

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by thecubreporter on Jul 24, 2008 1:32 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

give the guy his money

although he should be on the field during negotiations there’s nothing that can be done except giving him his contract…

Please handcuff this jerk to the bench and never let him out unless its the 19th inning or you are up or down by 10. Go get Damaso Marte and admit your mistake you stubborn **.-kenwo on boone logan

by furby2056 on Jul 24, 2008 3:36 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

This is a lose-lose situation

Hester loses reps he needs with the first team, the Bears lose their most explosive player. Both sides are making the effort, but Hester needs to show up, the Bears don’t like negotiating with holdouts. However, I see it from Hester’s side too. Either way this hurts the organization and Hester’s public image. Just pay him so this will end. I hear he’s threatening a season holdout, we’ll see how far it goes, we know how long Briggs’ went.

Bold Prediction: Orton will be the starter in week 1.

by GallopingGhost on Jul 24, 2008 4:07 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs