LAKE FOREST, Ill. – The Bears have added one of the NFL’s most electrifying playmakers to their offense without signing a free agent or making a trade.
Coach Lovie Smith revealed Monday that All-Pro return specialist Devin Hester will switch from defense to offense beginning with this weekend’s full-squad minicamp.
Devin Hester's 83-yard punt return TD gave the Bears a 24-23 win at Arizona last Oct. 16.
“I think Devin Hester is one of the most exciting players in the NFL with his hands on the football,” Smith said. “I think he would be an excellent defensive back also. We just feel that this is in the best interest of us and him for him to achieve his full potential as a football player.”
Hester will work with the wide receivers at minicamp, but he’s also expected to line up in the backfield at times and could be utilized like the New Orleans Saints’ Reggie Bush.
“Right now we’re not going to put any limits on it,” Smith said. “We have a new piece to the puzzle. We’re anxious to see what we can do with him and the role that he’ll develop into.
“There are a lot of different ways we can go. You can make a case for him being a slot receiver. You can make a case for him being a single receiver when we go to our two-tight end, two-running back packages. You can make a case for him from the running back position.
“He’s an offensive weapon right now. That’s the only limit we put on him.”
Hester starred at the University of Miami as a wide receiver, running back, cornerback and return specialist. He told the Bears that he wanted to play cornerback in the NFL much like his idol, Deion Sanders, and conceded that he had to be convinced to make the switch.
“We had several meetings until I just really said that there’s no ‘I’ in ‘team’ and however I can help the team I’m willing to do it,” Hester said.
“It’s going to be a great experience. I’m just going to go over there and try to give a little spark to the offense. There will be more opportunities to make big plays and I think it’s a great idea.”
Hester lined up on offense for one play in 2006, but he was unable to snare a low pass from Rex Grossman.
“He’s made it clear that defense is something that he’s always loved,” Smith said. “He’s also made it clear that he likes scoring touchdowns and this gives him the best opportunity. We can get his hands on the ball a few more times this way.”
As you might imagine, no one is more ecstatic about the move than offensive coordinator Ron Turner.
“I’ve been recruiting him for about 13 months and I finally got him,” Turner said.
“He’s an elite player when he gets the ball in his hands and I’m excited about the opportunity to help him get the ball in his hands, not just returning punts and kickoffs, which is a few times a game. Hopefully we can get it in his hands 5-6-7 times different ways—use him out of the backfield, as a receiver, in the slot.
“Definitely our creative juices will be flowing. We’re already talking about it and giving it some thought. Starting out we’re going to teach him the basics. We want him to learn the basics of running some of the routes and doing some of the things we’re doing in our offense. Then as he gets comfortable, we can find ways to get him the ball. As the season goes, we’re going to have to be more creative.”
Selected by the Bears in the second round of the 2006 draft, Hester was named All-Pro and voted to the Pro Bowl after setting an NFL record with six combined kick return touchdowns during the regular season.
He then became the first player in league history to return the opening kickoff in the Super Bowl for a TD, dashing 92 yards to give the Bears a 7-0 lead over the Indianapolis Colts.
Hester became just the sixth player in NFL history to return two kickoffs for touchdowns in a Monday night win at St. Louis. He also set team marks for punt return yards and TDs in a season and punt return and kickoff return yards in a game.
Switching Hester to offense after selecting tight end Greg Olsen and running back Garrett Wolfe on the first day of the draft gives the unit three new exciting playmakers.
“We’ve definitely added a little bit of firepower to our offense in the offseason,” Smith said. “There are only a few guys in the league who can make people miss and do the things [Hester] can do with the football.”
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One thing the Bears really needed to address this offseason was to add an offensive playmaker.
After drafting Olsen, Garrett Wolfe (could boom or bust), and now switching Devin to offense they have upgraded significantly in that department.
Call me crazy, but Devin Hester is a threat to score every time he touches the ball and is
one of the best in the league with the ball in his hands.
Bears moving Hester to offense
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