Bears Ready To Give Up On Devin Hester As An Every-Down Receivier

Mike Tice had the "Randy Ratio" while with the Minnesota Vikings . In Chicago, the team's new offensive coordinator will have the "Devin Package." Bears general manager Phil Emery did the naming honors after this weekend's draft while explaining how Devin Hester will fit into the new Bears attack .

"Devin's role has not changed," Emery said. "We see him as a guy that is going to help our receiving corps in a big way. I know that Coach Tice has done a lot of planning. We want to make sure that we have a special plan for Devin, we have the Devin Package, a package of plays as a receiver. You never know where he is going to line up."

Translation: Devin's role has changed.

The Bears have unsuccessfully tried to make Hester an every-down receiver. This was done in part to please Hester, to see how much he could handle, and to justify the huge contract the team gave him. That plan hasn't totally failed -- Hester is useful at times at receiver -- but he hasn't developed into a consistent threat.

Creating a special package of plays for Hester makes sense. It's the role he was meant to have all along -- No. 4 receiver. But there's no denying it's a change for a player who started 25 games at wideout from 2009-2010. (He started eight last season as the Bears started to reduce his snaps.)

The Bears added Alshon Jeffrey over the weekend and Brandon Marshall earlier in the offseason. Earl Bennett will continue to get a lot of snaps, which leaves Hester as a part-time player. Chicago can get more out of Hester this way.


(nfl.com)