MurcieOne Posted July 24, 2008 Share Posted July 24, 2008 http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sp...,3042432.column No one, with the possible exception of Lovie Smith, appreciates the unique abilities of Devin Hester more than I do. He is a player unlike any other I have seen in more than 20 years of covering the NFL. Hester can singlehandedly impact games as much as any player in the NFL. With that in mind, if I were the Bears, today I would be calling every team in the NFL to see if they were interested in acquiring him. My guess is quite a few would be interested and willing to compensate the Bears handsomely for Hester's rights. This is the perfect time to trade Hester -- when his returning skills are at their peak and before he has shown what he cannot do as a wide receiver. As a third-year player with a low salary cap figure, Hester on the trade market would be as hot a commodity as a snowblower after a November blizzard. A lot of teams could convince themselves that Hester is the one player who could make the difference for their season. And they might not be wrong. Could you imagine Hester on the Chargers? The Jaguars? The Giants? Hester could have instant impact on any team as a returner. Some team, I would wager, would be willing to pay a stupid price for Hester. Maybe a first-round pick, two second-round picks and a third. Maybe more. And if a team isn't willing to overpay the Bears for Hester, no deal. Keep him and try to come to a contract resolution. It could be the kind of trade that sets up a franchise for a long time. The 1985 Super Bowl Bears were hatched in the 1983 draft. That year, the Bears stocked up on picks and subsequently were able to select Willie Gault, Pat Dunsmore and Mark Bortz with draft choices that initially belonged to other teams. And they used their own picks to select Jim Covert, Mike Richardson, Dave Duerson, Tom Thayer, Richard Dent and others. Finding a trading partner will be complicated by Hester's contract demands. The interested party will have to be willing and able to give Hester a sizable signing bonus and have the available cap space to deal with a ponderous contract. But Hester's history should make him irresistible to some teams. What would the Bears be without Hester? The better question is what will they be with Hester? The realistic answer to both questions is probably not very good. They probably are a year or two away from contending anyway. If the Bears or Hester's agent Eugene Parker are counting on Hester becoming an all-pro wide receiver, they are taking a giant leap of faith into a shallow pool. The coaches at the University of Miami tried desperately to take advantage of Hester's skills at wide receiver, and they couldn't make it happen. Bears coaches did not have much more success last year. It's possible that over time Hester will catch on. But Hester becoming a star wideout isn't anything anyone should expect to happen, especially the people in charge of the payroll at Halas Hall. Recent NFL history provides relevant examples of outstanding returners who tried and failed to become outstanding wide receivers. Steve Smith of the Panthers did it, but he was a two-time all conference wide receiver in college at Utah. He never was considered a return specialist only. Dante Hall was the NFL's dominant returner before Hester, which prompted the Chiefs to try to make him a dominant wide receiver. He never had more than 40 catches in a season. Three of the five teams Desmond Howard played on thought they could get more out of the return specialist on offense. Howard was a Super Bowl MVP and a Pro Bowler as a return man, but he never could beat the jam as a wide receiver. The point is, the ability to return kicks and punts does not necessarily translate to the ability to play wide receiver. And there is this to consider. Hester might not be the return man he has been for much longer. Returners tend to last only slightly longer than most campaign promises. With the exception of Mel Gray, almost every great return man in recent NFL history has been unable to sustain dominance for more than a few years. Part of the reason for this is opponents will take away opportunities by kicking away from special returners. That's already happening to Hester, and he will be given fewer and fewer returnable kicks over time. But there is more to it. With multiple, high-impact collisions comes less speed and quickness, and maybe even less aggressiveness. The violent nature of the game tends to affect returners more than other players because they are so reliant on quickness. When returners take on greater loads on offense, their returns almost always suffer. I once had a discussion about this with Dick Vermeil, who started out as a special teams coach before becoming head coach of the Eagles, Rams and Chiefs. "I've studied this history better than most people have," Vermeil told me. "When they start going backward on the returns, it's normally because they are playing full time either as a running back, defensive back or wide receiver. The mental preparation is different. The competitiveness at that position isn't as intense as it was when he was just a returner." Hester is backing the Bears into a corner. But it could be a very fortuitous place for them to be. I can't help but worry that Devin Hester is another Desmond Howard, trends don't support a smooth transition for number 23 in the WR position. If you can get some draft picks... is it worth it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostfan Posted July 24, 2008 Share Posted July 24, 2008 If it's like an absolute rape of a trade, then yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanOfCorn Posted July 24, 2008 Share Posted July 24, 2008 QUOTE (lostfan @ Jul 24, 2008 -> 03:40 PM) If it's like an absolute rape of a trade, then yes. Agreed...although I think the Bears should use him like Darren McFadden (minus being QB). Use him as a RB, split him out wide, put him in the slot...move him around. He can and will change the game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostfan Posted July 24, 2008 Share Posted July 24, 2008 QUOTE (CanOfCorn @ Jul 24, 2008 -> 05:04 PM) Agreed...although I think the Bears should use him like Darren McFadden (minus being QB). Use him as a RB, split him out wide, put him in the slot...move him around. He can and will change the game. Unfortunately my 11 year old stepdaughter could run the offense more creatively than Ron Turner once I explain to her what a draw and a play action is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EvilJester99 Posted July 24, 2008 Share Posted July 24, 2008 I bet the Bears could get a 1st and 3rd for him....esp. with a team like Wash. If its a deal like that then hell go for it. IMO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostfan Posted July 24, 2008 Share Posted July 24, 2008 QUOTE (EvilJester99 @ Jul 24, 2008 -> 06:07 PM) I bet the Bears could get a 1st and 3rd for him....esp. with a team like Wash. If its a deal like that then hell go for it. IMO Should start with 2 firsts and a 3rd, at an absolute minimum. I'm talking about a really, really one-sided trade here where the other team thinks they scored big. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EvilJester99 Posted July 24, 2008 Share Posted July 24, 2008 QUOTE (lostfan @ Jul 24, 2008 -> 05:09 PM) Should start with 2 firsts and a 3rd, at an absolute minimum. I'm talking about a really, really one-sided trade here where the other team thinks they scored big. I doubt they would get that much for him. He is a prolific kick returner but a bad WR....I'd be happy as hell if they could but I would find it very unlikely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dasox24 Posted July 24, 2008 Share Posted July 24, 2008 (edited) QUOTE (lostfan @ Jul 24, 2008 -> 05:09 PM) Should start with 2 firsts and a 3rd, at an absolute minimum. I'm talking about a really, really one-sided trade here where the other team thinks they scored big. I agree. If you trade a guy like Hester, you have to get multiple high picks in return. Edited July 24, 2008 by dasox24 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostfan Posted July 24, 2008 Share Posted July 24, 2008 QUOTE (EvilJester99 @ Jul 24, 2008 -> 06:12 PM) I doubt they would get that much for him. He is a prolific kick returner but a bad WR....I'd be happy as hell if they could but I would find it very unlikely. Probably not, and that's all the better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmags Posted July 24, 2008 Share Posted July 24, 2008 how much money does hester make for the bears thou? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EvilJester99 Posted July 24, 2008 Share Posted July 24, 2008 454.000 IIRC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrunkBomber Posted July 24, 2008 Share Posted July 24, 2008 Put down the controller. As lostfan said, you dont trade a guy like that unless it is so one sided that people are laughing about it. This team has been searching for a player who can change the game offensively (points wise) for years, you dont trade him for a draft pick of a guy who MIGHT pan out. They need to fix the rest of the offense and let the field position he gets generate points. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockRaines Posted July 24, 2008 Share Posted July 24, 2008 (edited) Sorry, Hester poops on Hall and Howard. You dont trade him. Edited July 24, 2008 by RockRaines Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitesoxbrian Posted July 24, 2008 Share Posted July 24, 2008 I'd take a 2009 2nd and 3rd, and then a 2010 2nd for Devin and then pray to the Lord above we get impact guys like a Tillman, Alex Brown, Vasher, Hester, or Berrian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanOfCorn Posted July 25, 2008 Share Posted July 25, 2008 QUOTE (whitesoxbrian @ Jul 24, 2008 -> 05:48 PM) I'd take a 2009 2nd and 3rd, and then a 2010 2nd for Devin and then pray to the Lord above we get impact guys like a Tillman, Alex Brown, Vasher, Hester, or Berrian. Not enough. I'd say AT LEAST a 1st and a 3rd in 2009 and a 2nd in 2010. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chisoxfan79 Posted July 25, 2008 Share Posted July 25, 2008 Hester for Boldin? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knightni Posted July 25, 2008 Share Posted July 25, 2008 QUOTE (chisoxfan79 @ Jul 25, 2008 -> 04:29 AM) Hester for Boldin? Would Boldin fit under the cap? Would you want to trade an impact guy like Hester away? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockRaines Posted July 25, 2008 Share Posted July 25, 2008 QUOTE (chisoxfan79 @ Jul 25, 2008 -> 02:29 AM) Hester for Boldin? 1 year rental player?? Trading Hester is pretty dumb right now since most likely you can sign him to an extension, watch him continue to break records, then trade him near the end of the contract. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EvilJester99 Posted July 25, 2008 Share Posted July 25, 2008 (edited) Brad Biggs reported on the Score this morning that Hester is in camp now. Edited July 25, 2008 by EvilJester99 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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