Expect limited returns from Hester

Devin Hester remains too dynamic and explosive to reach the point of no returns, but kickoffs might not be his forte in 2012.

Coach Lovie Smith mentioned the luxury of being able to relieve Hester from kickoff returns after the team signed veterans Eric Weems and Devin Thomas. The Bears also seem intent on implementing a "Hester package" on offense that could necessitate limiting Hester's special teams workload.

"I think every now and then, I'm going to do kickoffs," said Hester, who still is expected to handle most punt returns. "It will depend on how the game is going.

"If I'm involved in the offense the whole first and second quarters, maybe I'll tell them to cut back on the kickoff returns. If I'm not getting that many touches on offense, of course I'm going to want to get some more touches on kickoff returns. That's how I see things panning out."

Hester led the league in punt-return average last season at 16.2 yards but was 24th on kickoffs at 21.9. Thomas, who played for the Super Bowl champion Giants last season, ranked 14th at 24.3. Weems, formerly of the Falcons, finished 18th at 23.5.

"Eric is a Pro Bowl special teams guy," Hester said. "He has returned kicks. He has returned punts. When I watch (Thomas) return kickoffs in practice, he looks like he's really good at it. We have a lot of people who can do the same thing, so it's not all on one person's shoulders."

The Bears already have discussed using Weems as the primary kickoff returner, particularly with Johnny Knox (spinal fusion surgery) likely out of the mix. Weems has 113 career kickoff returns for 2,896 yards (25.6 yards per return) with a 102-yard touchdown and seven returns of 40-plus yards.

"It's a good thing between (Hester) and I," Weems said. "We're been splitting things so far in practice. Whichever way it is during the season, teams will have to pick their poison.

"Devin, he's a speed guy — quickness and speed. He likes to get around the edges and make people miss. I'm more of a hit-it returner. I just hit it hard."

The Bears have had similar contrasting styles in recent years with Hester returning kicks alongside speedsters Danieal Manning and Knox. In fact, the Bears limited Hester's returns to seven in 2009 when Knox (32) and Manning (28) handled the bulk of them. That season, Hester caught a career-high 57 passes for 757 yards and three touchdowns.

Hester has an NFL-record 17 return touchdowns in 92 games, 12 off punts. He averaged 35.6 yards on 12 kickoff returns in 2010, which provides a reason for the Bears to keep him in the mix.

But the new kickoff rules have taken some of the luster away from players such as Hester. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the percentage of touchbacks on kickoffs increased from 16.4 percent in 2010 to 43.5 percent last season under rules that stipulate kickoffs from the 35-yard line rather than the 30.

"You have to deal with it," Weems said of the rules. "(After a year,) it has no effect on me. Sometimes, you take your chances. Sometimes, you don't.''

Weems believes he will have the opportunity to gamble a little more with the Bears than he did with the Falcons.

"Dave Toub, he's an aggressive coach," Weems said of his special teams coordinator. "He takes chances. My cutoff in Atlanta was like 105 yards deep, depending on how I gathered momentum. With Toub? He really hasn't set a standard yet."

Hester raised the standard for returns a long time ago.


(chicagotribune.com)