For the kind of $$$$ the Bears are paying Devin these days, they want him to be a #1 wide receiver, not the NFL's most dangerous return man everytime he touches the damn football! It's my understanding Devin was technically a cornerback when the Bears first drafted him, and needless to say, he couldn't cover anybody back then. Guess what? It was Joe Fan who kept calling into both sports talk radio stations who thought at the time that Hester could make the transition from defense to offense with his speed after he ran back 6 returns for touchdowns early in his career. Hester's been a flop as a receiver, and I'm not so sure he'll ever learn the correct routes and get on the same page with Jay Cutler over the long term.

Hester is in his 3rd year as a WR. He has shown plenty of ability to get deep, but the Bears have never had a QB that could exploit that until now. Already in the preseason, in just 2.5 quarters of play, Hester has had a shot at a 91 yard TD that was overthrown/misjudged, etc....

Setting the bar at 2 TD's in a game before calling Hester a quality target is pretty ridiculous actually. There are plenty of WR's in this NFL that are quality without having multiple TD games. A quality season for Hester would be 1,100+ yards and 7+ TD's. That is less than a TD every other game. Also, I'm not sure Hester has a history of dropping balls, but maybe I'm wrong.

As for Forte and Olsen, and I would throw in Clark, this is exactly what I've been saying. Hester's job will be running off defenses, as well as making some quick slants and quick hitches, etc., but the focus will be Forte and Olsen, who create mismatches, which is what the NFL is all about. The mismatches should be easily exploitable (at least in NFL terms) if Hester is drawing Safety help over the top.

Again, your team isn't going to lose a game because Devin Hester caught three passes for 60 yards and a touchdown. I'd be more concerned about Forte and Olsen catching 12 passes for 100 yards rather than the fluke deep pass. Once it is shown to be consistent that it will happen then defenses will be "afraid" of him.

Defenses will treat Hester like a normal WR until he shows he isn't.

Devin Hester will not have over 1100 yards and 7 or more touchdowns. There were 6 players in the NFL last year that did that.

It seems to me that Jay Cutler has figured out that Hester is fools gold. A fast player who isn't a receiver and can't be trusted to come down with the pass unless it is absolutely perfect. I bet he isn't even the #1 pass catcher on the Bears this year.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Expect? No. I expect 1,200 yards and 5 TD's, but my point was that you are dogging the guy unless he double dips in TD's in one game, which is not realistic. I'm assuming the TD's were the sticking point on people finishing 1,100 and 7, so how can you set the minimum standard at 2 TD's in a game?

Arguing these points are meaningless. This is the NFL, not 10 year old little league where people assume the Left Fielder can't catch. Teams are going to man up on Hester now that the Bears have a QB with a cannon for an arm

Only 10 WR's had over 1,100 yards and one other fell two yards short.

I'm not setting a minimum standard on anything. I'm saying that defenses aren't going to spend it's time worrying about someone who isn't really a game changer outside of a fluke play. Matt Forte and Greg Olsen are the ones I would worry about as a defense. I figure that if I can stop one or both of them that I have a good shot at winning. If Hester scores a touchdown but Forte averages 3 yards a carry I predict I'll win. If Hester doesn't catch a ball but Forte goes for 120 yards and a touchdown I don't think I'll win.


Who do you feel will have a bigger impact on a game this year? Olsen or Hester? Forte or Hester? I wouldn't even be surprised if Bennett has a bigger impact. I really don't think you've been paying attention this training camp if you think Hester is a central part of our offense. Just like last year, he'll best be used as a decoy. Defenses are smart enough to know that.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

My head starts spinning every time I hear about all this talk of needing a #1 WR. I agree Hester is no #1, and probably never will be. But do the Bears really need a clear cut #1 guy to win a superbowl? Remind me who was the clear cut #1 WR on the Patriot superbowl teams.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

We're being silly now. NFL defenses are not going to man up their corners on Hester when he takes off. They are going to move a Safety over that way. It only takes one play to change the entire outcome of a game.

I think statistically that Olsen and Hester will have equally vital roles this year, but Forte will be the gas that makes this engine run. He is the piece that ties the running game to the passing game and can make the offense far from an either/or setup.

Who gets the nod in Baltimore? Ben Coates?

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

That would be terrible. I hope he gets greedy, maybe that will help. I don't know if he'll make it til 2013.

at least rick is here to straighten you guys out.0he's not a top 2 wr on a normal team. it's quite possible the packers have 3 wrs better than him. bd i always thought you were one of the more logical posters here but you're crazy. you're basically saying he'll be a top ten wr.0i'm not sure he'll be top 30

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Fare you well, fare you well
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Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

Without looking at the stats for this. I'd bet Hester's stats from last year were better then half the 2nd starting WRs in the NFL.

Signature bet for a week?

The packers may very well have 4 receivers better than him. You know, back in the day the packers had a good kick returner named desmond howard. He changed games for them and even scored in the super bowl, but instead of making him a wr they let the raiders be the idiots and pay him alot of money to play wr.

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I'm not a defensive scheme expert but it seemed to me as if the Packers were more interested in shutting down Olsen and Forte in the first game. Hester got his touchdown and even got 90 yards but the Bears lost because Olsen was non-existent and Forte averaged under 3 yards a carry.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Forte is a bigger version of James Allen (remember him?) He is a serviceable back,but I fail to see those "special moves" or breakaway speed or "running angry" like I see from the better RB's in the NFL.

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favrefan said:"Chris Coghlan isn't gonna pay your rent, Jimmy."

Hester needs to be benched as a WR immediately! There are so many pro-bowl WR's sitting on the bench because he's hogging all the playing time.

No matter what he should be, on this team he's the #1. Someone has to be the tallest midget.

I would like to see how his stats compared to some guys that people think are decent receivers.