Hester expected to return punts for first time in preseason

LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Bears coach Lovie Smith hinted Wednesday that Devin Hester would see his first action as a punt returner this preseason in Sunday night’s game against the Broncos in Denver.

“I think it’s important for us to see,” Smith said. “This week we’re playing the game like the regular season is here. You’ll see most of our guys in a role that they will play during the course of the season.”

Hester has watched as Earl Bennett, Derek Kinder, Johnny Knox, D.J. Moore, Eric Peterman and Nate Vasher have all returned punts in the Bears’ first two preseason games.

“I don’t think there’s a reason why we would let Devin do a lot of that before,” Smith told reporters, “but things change about this third game of the preseason.”

Hester set an NFL record with five punt and kickoff returns for touchdowns as a rookie in 2006, and then eclipsed the mark and raised the bar even higher with six in 2007.

But last season Hester failed to get into the end zone on special teams, and as his role as a wide receiver expanded, he was replaced on kickoff returns by Danieal Manning, who ended up leading the NFL in that category with a 29.7-yard average.

Hester would like to return punts Sunday night against the Broncos, but he won’t campaign to do it.

“I feel like I need to get back into the groove,” he said. “But at the same time it’s up to the coaches. It’s not up to me. All I can do is go by what the coaches say.”



(chicagobears.com)