FWIW, I know this is just the first day of camp, and obviously, there's a long way to go before any of this really means much, but it sounds like Hester was a BIG story at the Bears first day of camp. It also sounds like they're tying to use him in a lot of different ways, as predicted:
Easy to give quick rundown on Hester
July 28, 2007
BY NEIL HAYES nhayes@suntimes.com
BOURBONNAIS, Ill. -- Devin Hester caught a pass near the line of scrimmage. A quick move left veteran cornerback Nathan Vasher in the dust before a quick cut inside resulted in veteran safety Mike Brown grasping at air and then shaking his head in disbelief.
Hester continued a trend that began during offseason workouts by standing out like a flashing neon light during the Bears' first training camp practice at Olivet Nazarene University on Friday. The cornerback-turned-receiver lined up split wide, in the slot and in the backfield. He looked like a natural while running routes and catching long and short passes.
If his first official practice as a wide receiver is any indication -- we'll learn more when he practices in pads for the first time today -- Hester may exceed expectations while making the difficult transition from defense to offense.
''He's picking it up well,'' quarterback Rex Grossman said. ''He has so much potential. He knows the offense on paper, and now he just needs to get more reps to get comfortable with it. He's an added dimension to our offense that's bound to create a bunch of big plays during the season.''
Hester proved his big-play ability during his rookie season by returning an NFL-record six total kicks or punts for touchdowns before opening Super Bowl XLI with an electrifying 92-yard kickoff return against the Colts, prompting the Bears to attempt to get the ball in his hands more often by moving him to offense full-time.
History says it's rare for a player to successfully move from defense to offense and rarer still when that player plays a skill position. The last cornerback to become a Pro Bowl-caliber receiver was ex-Cardinals receiver Roy Green.
''He's going to be great,'' Vasher said. ''He's going to be someone to keep your eyes on.''
Hester was a kick returner and receiver during his freshman year at Miami. He played offense and defense as a sophomore. He moved to cornerback full-time before his junior year but saw limited action on offense later in the season.
''He got caught going back and forth between offense and defense and never had a chance to show what he could do on the offensive side of the ball,'' said Dan Werner, who was Miami's offensive coordinator in 2004-05. ''He was so talented, but he never found his niche except for being a kick returner.''
There have been reports that Hester's inability to absorb Miami's playbook prevented him from becoming a full-time offensive player, although Werner, who now is offensive coordinator at Mississippi, said he saw no evidence of that.
''We'd only get him for about five minutes a day, and we'd give him four or five plays and use him whenever we could,'' Werner said. ''The things we did with him he picked up fine. I don't know what it would be like to give him the whole game plan, but we didn't have any issues.''
Bears offensive coordinator Ron Turner said Hester's route-running and ability to absorb offensive plays and terminology are what has surprised him most about what thus far has looked like a seamless transition.
''We're trying to be careful with what we do with him, just like we do anytime we get someone new at the position,'' Turner said. ''There's a fine line. You don't want to ask them to do too much because then they can't do anything well. We're trying to zero in on what he can do well and give him a small package just like we did with Bernard [berrian] when he first got here. We're bringing him along slowly, but we're pleased with the transition so far and the progress that he's made.''
Hester's speed -- he's one of the league's fastest players -- not only could enhance his ability to make plays but also could demand double-coverage that could make it easier for others to find open spaces in opposing secondaries. The prospect of having the speedy Berrian lined up on one side and Hester on the other could cause migraines for opposing defensive coordinators.
''He has started out real well, and he's only going to get better,'' Grossman said. ''The more time he gets as a true wide receiver, the better he's going to be. I'll get the timing of how he runs routes more, and he'll get a better feel of how [coaches] want him to run his routes. It just takes a little bit of time, but he's unbelievable with the ball in his hands -- and that's why we're going to get it to him a lot of different ways.''
