QuickLook: Hester, Manning, and KR/PR

Cutler won’t miss Hester on a fly route. He’ll have a number of big plays this year.

As a ST/PR kind of guy at this point, but he has too much speed not to be a WR for Cutler to throw to. Find out what happens this year first, then see if he is ready to be a #1 in the NFL.

He tears it up in Madden when lined up as a slot receiver.

—d

before doing anything else. 51 catches for 665 is not horrible. With a better O-line and a much, much better QB, he’ll improve. Another offseason of studying, preseason reps, etc, will help him improve. Is he going to the probowl? Doubt it. Will he help the Bears go 12-4? You bet.

I said in an earlier post, that I would like to see this new group of WR’s get a chance to compete for the position. Too many people talk about Hester as if he’s a #1 receiver, which he still hasn’t proven as far as I’m concerned. His returns last year were absolutely horrible and I’m not sure you can blame all of that on splitting time and focus, but the only place he’s actually proven himself is in the return game so if you have a new guy who can play WR just as well as he can (shouldn’t be a stretch there) then his best chance of being a productive player is back on special teams.

Taub doesn’t write the checks, and let’s face it, guys like Hester who were “hot” one year, expect to get $$$ and he did. His work is over. JUst ask Vasher if you don’t believe me.

He had a down year for a lot reasons. Learning a new position and opposing teams did a better job covering him. Hester’s talents are wasted on a bad team (like last year) With a bad defense teams are punting less and if they do punt it’s from further down the field. And with a bad(ish) offense, teams don’t have to punt to Hester because does Orton really strike fear in opposing defenses? Not really. But with Cutler, I think teams will punt more to Hester rather than give a short field to Cutler. Another year learning WR will help Hester relax a bit, I am sure last year he put a lot of pressure on himself to excel at both positions. Hopefully this year he will just do what he does best on PRs and not have to think so hard as a WR.

when hester hurdeled that kicker from denver oh the memories…..

I think that this year there should be no more excuses. Am i asking for a 128 rec 1,300 and 15 TD year? No, but with a QB that can get him the ball i think that he needs to produce as a number 1. I read an article after this past season that said he had so much on his mind last year trying to prove he can play WR and his PR suffered because of it. He also said he would play distraction free and give all his praise to God among other things. The fact is he is getting number 1 receiver money. He now has a QB and I truly believe this will be a breakout year at WR for him. I want nothing but the best for the Bears and Hester. As far as him returning to KR/PR…we cannot afford that this season until we get a #1. So like it or not..he is a #1 WR this year by default.

What’s with all the criticism?

Hester caught lightning in a bottle in 2006-07 as a return specialist. The league has never seen anything like that, and regardless of the theories here, Hester may never reach that level of return performance again. It was magic, and the more I watch some of those highlights, the less sure I am of how they happened.

Second, we lost some important contributors to special teams last season in free agency. What effect did that have on our return game?

As to Hester being awful on PR & KR in 2008 — he was. But look at the progress he made as a WR: zero receptions in 06, 20 in 2007, about 50 in 2008. He was a corner when we drafted him. He’s only had two years as a receiver.

What do those 52 catches mean?

By my count, 179 of our 2008 completions went to backs and tight ends, leaving 127 for our entire wide receiving corps. In comparison, Andre Johnson caught 115 passes all by himself. Devin Hester caught 41 percent of all our WR completions last year.

He was 46th among NFL WRs in receptions, 42nd in yards. Not stellar.

Hester was 6th among 3rd year receivers. And if you’re realistic about it, he really WASN’T a third year man, but a second year WR.

I think he’s made strides, and in this, his 3rd year as a wideout, he’ll improve significantly. But even if he doesn’t, it doesn’t mean he’s a bust.

Should he be a No. 1? Not at this stage of his career, but what choice does he have? If David Terrell hadn’t been a bust, he’d be in the spot. If Mark Bradley’s knee hadn’t been a chronic problem, he’d be in the spot. If Bernard Berrian… well, you get my drift. Hester HAD to be the No. 1, because there was no one else.

So here’s the thing: I’m expecting around 65 catches, 14 ypc avg., 900+ yards and seven receiving touchdowns, with maybe nine total. That’s a very good year for a third-year receiver.

And if they can put him back on punt returns maybe once a game, or boost his special teams assignments once a month, gravy. Carolina does that with Smith, you know: He returns kicks and punts when the situation calls for it.