The End of an Error: Trestman Says Bears’ Hester Will Just Return Kicks
Published by Andrew Garda on March 20, 2013
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears
Glory Hallelujah, it finally happened. Devin Hester is not being touted as a “big thing in the offense” and will be focusing on duties as a kick returner (via ProFootballTalk.com).
If new Chicago Bears coach Marc Trestman does nothing else the entire time he is the head coach of Chicago, he should be carried off the field on the shoulders of fans.
The experiment to make Devin Hester a wide receiver has been an abject failure by the organization from the get-go and one nobody seemed to want to admit to. While he’s had his moments, he was never a game-changer the way they saw him, and his presence definitely hindered the development of some other wide receivers.
How can young guys develop when Hester gets their snaps?
It absolutely ate up a roster spot that otherwise could have been used for a developmental receiver.
Now, as ESPN’s Kevin Seifert reports, Hester will be all returns all the time.
The idea of a multi-talented wide receiver who makes magic happen with the ball in his hands is one every team wants. In reality, the Bears were ahead of the curve on this in many ways when they decided to use Hester as one in 2007.
That made it all the more frustrating to watch them flail around with the project as time went on. Other teams began to look at receivers who were run-after-the-catch machines, who could do what the Bears wanted Hester to do.
Guys like Wes Welker, Randall Cobb, Percy Harvin and, on a smaller scale, Danny Amendola and DeSean Jackson have all hit the league and been effective with the ball in their hands on top of already being skilled receivers.
The Bears, stubbornly, illogically and insanely kept tilting at windmills instead with Hester.
When someone is selling cars already, why try to build your own car in your backyard out of parts to a plane?
Being able to just focus on returning kicks and/or punts will make Hester more effective at it as well. Now, teams will still kick away from him, but when he does get the ball we can see some of the old flash that, at times, has been lacking.
Hester may not be happy about this. In fact, I would guess he is absolutely not OK with it.
That’s a shame. Because by ending this experiment and moving on, the Bears are going to put themselves into a better spot to make a run at the Super Bowl.
After all he has done for the franchise—and it’s been considerable—it would be nice to have him with the team when and if that happens.
Tip of the cap to Sigmund Bloom of Footballguys and B/R’s Huge Upside blog for the End of an Error line.
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