Does Anyone Know If We Could Use The Franchise Tag on Hester?

Chris Sojka

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i seriously think the NFL switched the kickoff just to fuck devin hester... there are talks of moving it back to the 30... most likely it will happen when hester retires
 

JDB_219

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I just dont see how he is a threat anymore and I think the Bears would actually be fine covering Hester considering they know his strengths and weaknesses.

He housed two punts and had a bunch of long KR returns. I watched a lot of his returns on all 22 and the blocking was generally poor. If you think he is done I'd say go to the tape and see without the emotion of gametime viewing.

As to the decision making, I don't know why they don't just make the rules super simple for him or better yet put a personal protector/decider next to him to tell him what to do.

He didn't attempt enough punt returns this year, I blame some of that on coaching.
 

Broc

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They have to keep Hester for 1 more year so he can break the record as a Bear and retire. Fucking Steltz.
 

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Nope, they would probably be forced to pay him as a WR or a CB if they tagged him. Don't know why they'd even waste time on trying to do something like that. Offer him about 1.2 per and if he takes it cool, if not we got other options at KR. We're too tight against the cap to play money games with a KR.

This is what I was thinking. I don't know of too many teams that have a designated kick returner. Most guys are listed on the roster as a WR or DB as well as a KR so I am not sure what the sample size would be for the franchise tag. I am willing to bet that it might not be possible.
 

JaySix

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And give him the average salaries of the top kick returners since he spent 0 time at WR? This may be a cheap route to resigning him for another year.

So who are the top 5 returners?

I know a CB in Arizona that is most certainly one of them and I sure don't want us to pay that kind of money for a returner that I think it's time to part ways with....
 

Jester

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I know you're not touting a return of Bobby Wade, but since you mentioned his name I thought I would look up some numbers.

According to profootball reference while in Chicago:
Bobby Wade fumbled every 3 games and averaged 9.3 yards per punt return with a TD every 40th punt return.
Devin Hester fumbled every 4 games and averages 12.3 yards per punt return with a TD every 20th punt return.

Bobby Wade did not return kickoffs in Chicago.
Hester led the NFL in kickoff return yards in 2013.

I seriously don't understand people who are bagging on Hester. Of course if he wants 4 million or something ridiculous the Bears need to move on, but Hester is still one of the best returners in the NFL today. Those that don't seem to understand that must not realize just how insanely lucky Chicago has been to have him at his absolute peak when he was producing at a level that may never be surpassed. Hester as a returner only is far more valuable to the Bears than bumping up the best guy on the practice squad to the last spot on the 53 man roster. If Hester will play for 2 million or less he needs to be re-signed IMO.

And to those that say Hester can play WR or DB, lol. Hester should never see the field unless the opposing punter/kicker are on the field.

Haven't seen anyone "bagging" on Hester for his special teams play, especially in his good years. Hester was a TERRIBLE WR and a TERRIBLE DB, and he is slowing down big time on ST. Some of the best memories I have of the recent Bears are from Devin Hester. However, the Bears need to look in a different direction. Also, I couldn't stand Bobby Wade, he scared the shit our of me.
 

Bearfanfromnewjersey

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If we can get him for 1 million or less I would sign him. Doing kickoffs offs is one thing but we don't have a punt return except if I want to count earl Bennett
 

stats guy

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We're better off with someone who takes a knee 8-9 yards deep in the endzone. Seriously, I'd like to see he stats on how often he actually made it past the 20 in thoses situations. I don't think it was very often.
 

iueyedoc

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7th in PRA and 19th in KRA. Take that as you will.

And that 7th was with the long TD lost in Stl. He isn't quite ready for pasture.

He housed two punts and had a bunch of long KR returns. I watched a lot of his returns on all 22 and the blocking was generally poor. If you think he is done I'd say go to the tape and see without the emotion of gametime viewing.

As to the decision making, I don't know why they don't just make the rules super simple for him or better yet put a personal protector/decider next to him to tell him what to do.

He didn't attempt enough punt returns this year, I blame some of that on coaching.
What are you talking about, personal protector/decision maker? Some of you just can't get past 2006-07.
You are advocating having one less upfield blocker, so they can stand next to Hester and tell him what to do. Seriously?
He was average at best as a KR, ranked 19th.
He was 7th in punt return, but if you subtract out the yards from all the times he ignorantly let a ball hit and roll instead of fair catching it like every other PR he would be horrible.
He averaged just over 1 punt return a game, but takes up a roster spot that the Bears sorely needed last year, but offers nothing else.
And to suggest a guy that has been returning punts for his entire NFL career, and only has a career because of that position, doesn't know when to fair catch, return, or let hit the ball, and to blame it on coaching is nonsense. He has been doing it for 8 years.

In short, Hester has always made dumb decisions as a punt and kick returner, he just was so dynamic when he was younger the good outweighed the bad, that is no longer the case.
 

JDB_219

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What are you talking about, personal protector/decision maker? Some of you just can't get past 2006-07.
You are advocating having one less upfield blocker, so they can stand next to Hester and tell him what to do. Seriously?
He was average at best as a KR, ranked 19th.
He was 7th in punt return, but if you subtract out the yards from all the times he ignorantly let a ball hit and roll instead of fair catching it like every other PR he would be horrible.
He averaged just over 1 punt return a game, but takes up a roster spot that the Bears sorely needed last year, but offers nothing else.
And to suggest a guy that has been returning punts for his entire NFL career, and only has a career because of that position, doesn't know when to fair catch, return, or let hit the ball, and to blame it on coaching is nonsense. He has been doing it for 8 years.

In short, Hester has always made dumb decisions as a punt and kick returner, he just was so dynamic when he was younger the good outweighed the bad, that is no longer the case.

Bears special teams excelled in core areas - chicagotribune.com http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/chi-bears-special-teams-20140119,0,5793726.story

Bears 4th in starting field position according to this article. I'm not going to fact check but it sure reads like he does more harm than good.

I think some people don't watch enough football to appreciate what 23 does for Bears.
 
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JDB_219

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I don't only blame this year's coaching for his continued decision making. I blame all of his coaches and him.

Bouncing punts are rampant across the league. Makes me think they are told to let it bounce rather than muff it but in 8 years you would think he'd learn to keep the ball off the turf.
 

Slacker

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We're better off with someone who takes a knee 8-9 yards deep in the endzone. Seriously, I'd like to see he stats on how often he actually made it past the 20 in thoses situations. I don't think it was very often.

Without spending a ton of time this is the best I can do, skimming profootball reference gamelogs for Hester's kick returns. I have gone through and highlighted every kick that went into the endzone that Hester returned.

If it's highlighted green then he made it to at least the 20, if it's red he didn't make it to the 20 and would have been better off kneeling. I count 17 red and 21 green. If Hester had taken a knee on the red plays the Bears would have had the ball at the 20 those 17 times. Instead their average starting field position was the 16 yard line (and they were never pinned deeper than the 10). By running the ball out on the 21 green plays the Bears' starting field position instead of being the 20, wound up being past the 36 yard line. So 17 times he cost the Bears 4 yards by running it out, and 21 times he gained 16 extra yards by running it out. Although he fumbled several times, the Bears only lost one of those fumbles.

Week 1:
Mike Nugent kicks off 65 yards, touchback
Mike Nugent kicks off 65 yards, touchback
Mike Nugent kicks off 65 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 31 yards (tackle by Reggie Nelson)
Mike Nugent kicks off 65 yards, touchback

Week 2:
Blair Walsh kicks off 73 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 76 yards (tackle by Josh Robinson)
Blair Walsh kicks off 68 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 80 yards (tackle by Josh Robinson)

Blair Walsh kicks off 60 yards, touchback (Bears penalty on the TD put the kickoff at the 40)
Blair Walsh kicks off 65 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 20 yards (tackle by Robert Blanton)
Blair Walsh kicks off 69 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 31 yards (tackle by Marcus Sherels)
Blair Walsh kicks off 72 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 42 yards (tackle by Robert Blanton)


Week 3:
Shaun Suisham kicks off 65 yards, touchback
Shaun Suisham kicks off 63 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 5 yards (tackle by Curtis Brown)
Shaun Suisham kicks off 69 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 21 yards (tackle by Robert Golden)

Week 4:
Sam Martin kicks off 68 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 18 yards (tackle by Tahir Whitehead). Devin Hester fumbles, recovered by Michael Ford at CHI-15 (tackle by Ashlee Palmer)
Sam Martin kicks off 74 yards, touchback
Sam Martin kicks off 70 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 32 yards (tackle by Rocky McIntosh). Penalty on Rocky McIntosh: Horse Collar Tackle, 15 yards
Sam Martin kicks off 70 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 24 yards (tackle by Travis Lewis)
Sam Martin kicks off 68 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 24 yards (tackle by Rocky McIntosh)
Sam Martin kicks off 74 yards, touchback
Sam Martin kicks off 65 yards, touchback
Sam Martin kicks off 72 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 21 yards (tackle by Tahir Whitehead)
Sam Martin kicks off 70 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 28 yards (tackle by John Wendling)

Week 5:
Thomas Morstead kicks off 65 yards, touchback
Thomas Morstead kicks off 65 yards, touchback
Thomas Morstead kicks off 65 yards, touchback
Thomas Morstead kicks off 50 yards, touchback (Bears penalty on the TD put the kickoff at the 50)
Thomas Morstead kicks off 60 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 26 yards (tackle by Kevin Reddick)
Thomas Morstead kicks off 65 yards, touchback
Thomas Morstead kicks off 70 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 23 yards (tackle by Ramon Humber)

Week 6:
Josh Brown kicks off 74 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 23 yards (tackle by Charles James)
Josh Brown kicks off 60 yards, touchback (Bears penalty on the TD put the kickoff at the 40)
Josh Brown kicks off 67 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 28 yards (tackle by Turk McBride)
Josh Brown kicks off 69 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 22 yards (tackle by Jacquian Williams)

Week 7:
Kai Forbath kicks off 72 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 28 yards (tackle by Niles Paul)
Kai Forbath kicks off 42 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 12 yards (tackle by Niles Paul)

Week 9:
Mason Crosby kicks off 65 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 29 yards (tackle by Jamari Lattimore)
Mason Crosby kicks off 66 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 14 yards (tackle by Chris Banjo)
Mason Crosby kicks off 66 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 22 yards (tackle by Jonathan Franklin)
Mason Crosby kicks off 71 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 25 yards (tackle by Mike Neal)

Week 10:
Sam Martin kicks off 69 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 39 yards (tackle by Dejon Gomes)
Sam Martin kicks off 73 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 22 yards (tackle by John Wendling)
Sam Martin kicks off 73 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 28 yards (tackle by Theo Riddick)
Sam Martin kicks off 64 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 25 yards (tackle by Theo Riddick)

Week 11:
Justin Tucker kicks off 65 yards, touchback
Justin Tucker kicks off 65 yards, touchback
Justin Tucker kicks off 67 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 28 yards (tackle by Corey Graham)

Week 12:
Greg Zuerlein kicks off 70 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 23 yards (tackle by Ray Ray Armstrong). Penalty on Khaseem Greene: Offensive Holding, 9 yards
Greg Zuerlein kicks off 65 yards, touchback
Greg Zuerlein kicks off 73 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 26 yards (tackle by Ray Ray Armstrong)
Greg Zuerlein kicks off 65 yards, touchback
Greg Zuerlein kicks off 65 yards, touchback
Greg Zuerlein kicks off 74 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 23 yards (tackle by Cody Davis). Penalty on Derrick Martin: Offensive Holding, 7 yards
Greg Zuerlein kicks off 73 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 18 yards (tackle by Stedman Bailey). Devin Hester fumbles, recovered by Devin Hester at CHI-10
Greg Zuerlein kicks off 65 yards, touchback

Week 13:
Blair Walsh kicks off 71 yards, touchback
Blair Walsh kicks off 65 yards, touchback
Blair Walsh kicks off 69 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 21 yards (tackle by Matt Asiata)
Blair Walsh kicks off 65 yards, touchback
Blair Walsh kicks off 72 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 57 yards (tackle by Blair Walsh)


Week 14:
Dan Bailey kicks off 68 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 25 yards (tackle by Barry Church)
Dan Bailey kicks off 69 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 27 yards (tackle by Danny McCray)


Week 15:
Billy Cundiff kicks off 72 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 39 yards (tackle by Eric Martin)
Billy Cundiff kicks off 65 yards, touchback
Billy Cundiff kicks off 51 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 40 yards (tackle by Billy Cundiff)
Billy Cundiff kicks off 65 yards, touchback
Billy Cundiff kicks off 72 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 26 yards (tackle by Paul Hazel)

Week 16:
Alex Henery kicks off 64 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 18 yards (tackle by Brad Smith)
Alex Henery kicks off 66 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 36 yards (tackle by Bradley Fletcher). Devin Hester fumbles, recovered by Cary Williams at CHI-39
Alex Henery kicks off 59 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 15 yards (tackle by Najee Goode)
Alex Henery kicks off 70 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 27 yards (tackle by Brandon Graham)
Alex Henery kicks off 57 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 8 yards (tackle by Chris Polk)
Alex Henery kicks off 65 yards, touchback
Alex Henery kicks off 69 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 37 yards (tackle by Brad Smith)

Week 17:
Mason Crosby kicks off 61 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 39 yards (tackle by Mason Crosby). Penalty on Victor Aiyewa: Unnecessary Roughness, 15 yards
Mason Crosby kicks off 57 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 17 yards. Devin Hester fumbles, recovered by Devin Hester at CHI-26. Penalty on Blake Costanzo: Illegal Block Above the Waist, 10 yards
Mason Crosby kicks off 70 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 20 yards (tackle by Jarrett Bush)
Mason Crosby kicks off 60 yards, returned by Devin Hester for 21 yards (tackle by Davon House)
Mason Crosby kicks 52 yards, fielded by Dante Rosario (didn't try to advance) for -2 yards, lateral to Devin Hester for 29 yards (M.Burnett). (* thanks to nwfisch for pointing this out, I missed it)

Please note that on the touchbacks they do not identify the player who caught the ball, so it may or may not have been Hester. I also did not include the "pooch" kicks that were fielded by players other than Hester. Interesting that he had 3 returns 39+ yards where the tackle was made by the kicker, I don't recall those plays but it's possible those were close to being housed.
 

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You cant give all the credit to Hester when the defense gave up so many points, therefore allowing him to get more opportunities.

Got any more reaches? Was Hester supposed to be like sorry NFL, MikeDitkaPolishSausage said I have received too many opportunities to return kickoffs so I gotta sit this one out...
 

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I still think he'll be a Buc in 2014.
 

BIGGIEsmalls 23

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I want him to break the official record while wearing a Chicago Bears uniform. Twenty years from now, it will be very important that classic NFL films show him in a Bears uniform returning the record-breaking kickoff/punt for a TD.

If the TD return from the Superbowl was counted, he would already have the record & I wouldn't care where he played next season.
 

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