Hester to give up returning kickoffs, focus on receiving

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. -- Chicago Bears wide receiver Devin Hester is a changed man.

After voicing frustration last season with his inability to break punt or kickoff return touchdowns while learning to be a wide receiver, Hester this year has accepted a slimmed down special teams responsibility. He's going to focus on being a better receiver.

He's a more serious player overall and he has even given up the sports car he used to drive.

"I had to get rid of that -- getting a little older," said the 26-year-old Hester. "That was more for younger guys. I moved on to something a little simpler."

It's that way for Hester on the field, as well.

Last year, he gradually learned the receiving game and finished with 51 catches. Eventually Danieal Manning replaced him returning kickoffs the final four games and has gone on to post the highest career kick return average among active NFL players with at least 40 returns (28.8 yards per return).

"I'm not doing any kickoff returns this year -- none," Hester said Friday. "That's going to be all Danieal."

Special teams coordinator Dave Toub hasn't discounted Hester in a complete emergency on kickoffs, but Rashied Davis, Garrett Wolfe and rookie Johnny Knox have practiced returning kicks behind Manning.

Hester electrified the NFL with 11 kick and punt returns for touchdowns in 2006-07 to draw within two of Brian Mitchell's career record, but that was before he played much receiver.

Toub doesn't want Hester shouldering all the blame for last year's struggles. The Bears' return units last year had a large turnover in blockers and special teams as a whole dropped from a top NFL ranking for two straight years to eighth overall.

"You're going to get turnaround all the time, but there are a lot of guys who are coming back for the second time [this year]," Toub said. With blocking expected to improve, Toub thinks that even with full-time receiver duty Hester can average 10 yards per punt return.

Hester averaged 12.8 yards on punt returns in 2006, 15.5 in 2007, but only 6.9 last year.

"Those [2006-07] were unbelievable years," Toub said. "We had two great years where that was all he was doing. We're asking him to do a lot more [for the offense].

"If he could just get the ball and get 10 yards, then anything after that is a bonus. That's all I'm asking for. There's no reason why he shouldn't be averaging over 10 yards per return. Last year he was 6.9 and he's not happy with that, we're not happy with that."

Added Hester: "If you're getting 10 yards a return you're breaking a few in there. That's a goal."

Both Bears return men are starters -- Manning is in the defensive secondary -- yet coach Lovie Smith thinks handling one special teams chore shouldn't prove taxing.

"Both players feel comfortable doing that, both players want to do that," Smith said. "And in order for us to win, we need them to do that. We'll start from there, we'll always have backups that we feel pretty good about. We have some other guys who can do both."

The bigger issue might be Hester clicking as a receiver with new quarterback Jay Cutler. Hester's speed is always apparent, but in recent practices he has shown a better ability to run underneath routes or cross the middle.
Hester calls 2009 a fresh start.

"At the end of the day I want to be a complete receiver," he said. "And at the end of the season, for all the critics saying I'm maybe a third receiver or something like that, I want them (to say), 'Yeah, he is capable of being a No. 1 receiver."'


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(cbssports.com)