Leave Devin Hester alone

It’s a theme that has been put out by the Bears on too many occasions in the past several years.

Devin Hester is going to be a top wide receiver.

Devin Hester is a unique talent.

Devin Hester is having one of the best camps of any Bear.

All of that meant precisely zero in the past, means precisely that now, and it might be the worst thing for Hester.

Maybe it’s time he was just left alone to be ... Devin Hester, whatever that is going to be.

Jay Cutler started it on Wednesday:

“Devin Hester I think is probably having the best camp of all the receivers.”

The camp is two days old. Cutler is certainly eminently qualified to assess performances. But hyping Hester after two days?

It got worse with Brandon Marshall, who one-upped Cutler by stating that Hester will have the best season of any Bears receiver (assuming that only one receiver from a team is likely to earn All-Pro honors):

“I honestly think he’s going to have an All-Pro year this year at wide receiver.”

If Hester does make All-Pro, it will be with a lot of passes that Marshall probably thought would be coming his direction.

There is nothing remotely wrong with pumping or pubbing up a teammate, believing in him and saying so.

But Hester has gotten so built up at various times -- Mike Martz had exotic plans for him; now Mike Tice and the Bears have a “Hester package” planned -- when the guy simply has a nice season, he’s a disappointment.

Maybe the best thing for Hester, a sensitive young man who knows what people say about him, good and bad, would be to just be allowed to be Hester. No “best of camp” honoree. No All-Pro-in-waiting.

Just ... Hester.


(csnchicago.com)