Devin Hester loses kick returning duties
In one of the more surprising falls from grace this season in the NFL is Devin Hester. The Chicago Tribune is reporting that Danieal Manning will take over Hester’s old job as Chicago’s No. 1 kick returner Sunday when the Bears travel to St. Louis to take on the Rams.
Hester, who has five career kickoff returns for touchdowns (including Super Bowl XLI), has yet to return a kick or punt for a score this season. The pressure of having to produce after being rewarded with a four-year, $40 million contract extension ($15 million guaranteed) evidently has taken a toll. The burden of trying to develop into a top receiver likely has done the same.
So in steps Manning, whose 26.5-yard average per kick return is almost 5 yards better than Hester’s (21.8). Manning averaged 44.2 yards during the preseason including a 75-yarder against San Francisco. His career average is 24.9.
“When you have a guy like [Manning] sitting on the bench, you have to use him,” special-teams coordinator Dave Toub said. “It gives Devin a chance to maybe recover. He’s playing a lot of offense. He’s doing the punt returns. It’s a luxury to have someone else to go to.”
Quite frankly, I don’t blame Hester for falling off the map. The Bears did nothing in the offseason to boost their sagging receiving corps (unless you really, really like Marty Booker) and they put the onus on Hester becoming their No. 1 deep threat. Not that he can’t excel at everything because he is a fantastic player, but the Bears really asked Hester to do three jobs – No. 1 receiver, kicker returner, punt returner. Some may lump the two return jobs together, but it’s really two different positions.
People may criticize Hester, but the guy is learning a whole new position – his kick returning abilities were bound to take a hit.
This again points out the incompetence of the coaches and upper management of the Bears. Hester is a phenomenal return man, but because of their tight purses, the Bears had to use Hester in the offense. They let receivers life Bernard Berrian, Justin Gage, and Bobby Wade go to other teams. Hester should have stayed as a return man and we should have developed our receivers. Just another example of bad leadership by Angelo, Smith, et al.
I think he’s made progress as a receiver, but he’s more effective as a return man, and that should be his focus.
Great point about Berrian and Gage, Da Bear. You had the makings of a solid receiving corps right there.
Another big reason why Hester lost his kick return job was because he didnt play smart. He was always looking for the big play and it didnt run any time off the clock. Hester was always better as a punt returner though.
Hester is talking too much with Deion, dont take the hits, get all your money and avoid damage. Now he runs back and side to side, never hits the wedge. He is not a great route runner, he is small, not a #1 reciever. Awesome, Hall of Fame return man, they should leave it at that.
12-13 touchdowns as a returner in 2 years!