Bears' Hester on camp: 'I'm not coming'

Devin Hester told the Tribune Wednesday he intends to hold out of training camp until the Bears grant him a new deal.

"I'm not coming,'' he said by phone. "I have to make a statement. I showed by going to [organized team activities] that I was a team player. But then, I just felt like they weren't taking it seriously that I wanted to get a new deal.

"I can't go out and play this year making $445,000. Come on, man.''

Hester, who is signed through 2009, is entering the third year of his rookie deal. The Bears have discussed the possibility of a raise with his agent, Eugene Parker, throughout the off-season. Each side has exchanged proposals. Complicating matters is the fact that the Bears have no other contracts to measure Hester's worth against.

He wants to be paid as a receiver, but the Bears are willing to pay him as the league's highest-paid special teams player — a deal that would no doubt fall short of Hester's mark.

Efforts to reach Parker were unsuccessful while the Bears planned to address the situation after practice Wednesday.

"You should pay me like I'm one of a kind,'' Hester said. "It's like dating a girl. When you find somebody who is real special, you're going to do whatever it takes to keep her. You might cut back on what you're giving your mom to give to her. And that's how I feel they should treat me.''

Hester couldn't estimate how much money he's seeking or how long a term the deal should be. The Bears awarded contract extensions to Tommie Harris, Brian Urlacher, Alex Brown, Robbie Gould, and Desmond Clark.

"A fair deal is paying me what I bring to this game and to this team,'' Hester said. "If I put fans in the seats and make big plays, then I deserve to get paid more than what I'm getting paid. Pay me what I'm worth. I'm getting paid the same as a cat drafted in the sixth, seventh round my year who hasn't played a down. It isn't fair, man.''

The Bears are unlikely to negotiate with a player who is not at camp. Hester will be fine approximately $15,000 per day if he continues to hold out.

"I'm like this — it's not worth it to show up,'' he said.

Hester said he received phone calls from teammates Jason McKie and Tommie Harris Wednesday inquiring about his whereabouts. Adewale Ogunleye sent a text message and wondered what was going on.

"I basically told them what happened, and they said they don't blame me and that I deserved it,'' he said.

Hester said Lovie Smith called and said the team didn't feel the same without him.

Hester has 12 returns for touchdowns in just two seasons. Last season, he made the Pro Bowl for the second consecutive season as a return man after setting the single-season NFL record with six kick returns for touchdowns (four punts, two kickoffs).

"Everybody in their right mind understands why I'm doing this,'' Hester said. "For me to have a season like I did last year and getting paid like this, it's not fair. ... I deserve more, and that's just the way I feel.''

(chicagosports.chicagotribune.com)