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BOURBONNAIS, Ill. -- Devin Hester is a changed man.After voicing frustration last season with his inability to break punt-return or kickoff-return touchdowns while learning to be a wide receiver, Hester has accepted a slimmed-down responsibility on special teams this year. Instead, he will focus on being a better pass catcher for the Chicago Bears.
Hester is a more serious player overall, and he even gave up the sports car that he used to drive.
"I had to get rid of that -- getting a little older," said Hester, who's 26 and entering his fourth NFL season. "That was more for younger guys. I moved on to something a little simpler."
It's also that way for Hester on the field.
Last season, Hester gradually learned the receiving game and finished with a career-high 51 catches for 665 yards and three touchdowns. Danieal Manning eventually replaced Hester as the Bears' kickoff returner in the last four games and has gone on to post the highest career average among active NFL players with at least 40 returns (28.8 yards).
"I'm not doing any kickoff returns this year -- none," Hester said Friday. "That's going to be all Danieal."
Bears 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 kickoff and punt returns for touchdowns in 2006 and 2007, drawing within two of Brian Mitchell's career record. However, that was before Hester played much wide receiver.
Toub doesn't want Hester shouldering all the blame for last year's special-teams struggles. The Bears' return units had a large turnover in blockers, and their 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 believes 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 and 15.5 in 2007, but only 6.9 last year. Seven of his 11 return touchdowns have come on punts.
"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 believes 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 always is 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."'
Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press
That's stupid. Leave him back there. Kickoffs are purposely shanked or squibbed just because of his presence. He gets them field position. Take away the best returner of all time and make him into a below average wide reciever. Awesome. Lol, nobody is going to squib to Daniel Manning.
Hester is a more serious player overall, and he even gave up the sports car that he used to drive.
"I had to get rid of that -- getting a little older," said Hester, who's 26 and entering his fourth NFL season. "That was more for younger guys. I moved on to something a little simpler."
It's also that way for Hester on the field.
Last season, Hester gradually learned the receiving game and finished with a career-high 51 catches for 665 yards and three touchdowns. Danieal Manning eventually replaced Hester as the Bears' kickoff returner in the last four games and has gone on to post the highest career average among active NFL players with at least 40 returns (28.8 yards).
"I'm not doing any kickoff returns this year -- none," Hester said Friday. "That's going to be all Danieal."
Bears 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 kickoff and punt returns for touchdowns in 2006 and 2007, drawing within two of Brian Mitchell's career record. However, that was before Hester played much wide receiver.
Toub doesn't want Hester shouldering all the blame for last year's special-teams struggles. The Bears' return units had a large turnover in blockers, and their 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 believes 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 and 15.5 in 2007, but only 6.9 last year. Seven of his 11 return touchdowns have come on punts.
"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 believes 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 always is 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."'
Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press
That's stupid. Leave him back there. Kickoffs are purposely shanked or squibbed just because of his presence. He gets them field position. Take away the best returner of all time and make him into a below average wide reciever. Awesome. Lol, nobody is going to squib to Daniel Manning.
