How much is Devin Hester goign to make?

Post #1 » by **dougthonus** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 12:12 am

Let's say for the sake of argument that he is unable to establish himself as a WR, and he's basically just a WR4 and a returner. How much is he worth in that role?

I mean he is on a pace to be the best returner in the NFL by several orders of magnitude. Normally you wouldn't pay a returner big bucks, but I could see Hester getting a huge stack of cash without even being a skill player. That's crazy how good he is to be able to do that.

NLK · Post #2 » by **NLK** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 12:22 am

10 yrs, 120 million ($12M per year) for a #4 WR + returning kicks & punts.

If he becomes #1 or #2 WR, hmmm...A-Rod money.
J/K!
I dunno, but this is a good thread to actually think about. I mean, the way our team is constructed, Hester can be good to really good, and the rest of our team could be bad. On one hand, we can give him the moon, but hinder our chances to be a good/great team contending year after year (meaning unable to financially sign really good free agents). Its tough to gauge what is actual worth is since what he's defined as. Right now, he's pretty valuable, since he seems to be our only consistent scoring threat. Jerry Angelo & Lovie Smith will be extremely busy if the Bears fail to make the playoffs. Finding players that'll fit with what we consider the future of the team, that'll be tough.

NoSkyy · Post #3 » by **NoSkyy** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 1:05 am

I think we also have to consider the short lifespan of the NFL return man. We honestly don't know how long Devin can keep it up(hopefully for a very long time) but I can't for the life of me think of any return man that has consistent return kicks very well for a good amount of time. Although, if people keep kicking away to him it's only going to keep him better in the long run.

Post #4 » by **CBS7** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 1:39 am

At the very least this guy's going to be a #3 WR.

WEFFPIM · Post #5 » by **WEFFPIM** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 1:45 am

As much as he wants, and the Bears will give him that.

Post #6 » by **dougthonus** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 4:01 am

I think we also have to consider the short lifespan of the NFL return man. We honestly don't know how long Devin can keep it up(hopefully for a very long time) but I can't for the life of me think of any return man that has consistent return kicks very well for a good amount of time. Although, if people keep kicking away to him it's only going to keep him better in the long run.

Hester has 9 Punt or Kick returns for TDs. If he gets 4 more this season (just for the sake of argument), then he will hold the record for the most in the history of the NFL after 2 years.

That's why it's interesting, there is a part of you that believes he can't keep it up, but then what he's done so far seems to show that he can.

His TD per touch ratio as a returner is something like 3.5x as good as anyone with as many (or more) attempts. I think it was Deon Sanders who had the best ratio of TDs per touch as a returner and it was like 1 per 40 touches. Hester is around 1 per 12.

Post #7 » by **CBS7** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 4:10 am

Hypothetical situation that has a slight chance of happening, What if he becomes an elite WR a la Steve Smith? Do we keep him returning punts and kicks? He just gives us a huge edge there but you don't want to have him being a #1 WR and a full time returner, do you?

NoSkyy · Post #8 » by **NoSkyy** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 5:14 am

_CBS7_ wrote:Hypothetical situation that has a slight chance of happening, What if he becomes an elite WR a la Steve Smith? Do we keep him returning punts and kicks? He just gives us a huge edge there but you don't want to have him being a #1 WR and a full time returner, do you?

I think the yards in the return games and the mental edge we have over opponents when they face him is a lot better than say having him be our #1 WR, being as our QBs suck and will always suck. I would much rather pick up a REALLY good RB, say I don't know, Michael Turner or something and just work the field to our advantage with running plays.

CjayC · Post #9 » by **CjayC** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 12:09 pm

IMO he is the bears #2 WR next year.

Moose is done as a #1 WR,and with Hester as #2 next year,he'd probably be the slot WR.

I'd like to see Berrian in the role of #1 next year,but who knows what's happening with his contract.
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Irregardless of anything else,Hester is the best player on the team,and he deserves to be paid.Dude just freaking make plays.I don't even want to imagine where the Bears would be without Hester

Post #10 » by **CBS7** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 1:41 pm

Berrian's already #1 this year. He's led the team's WRs in receptions each game this year.

ChicagoTRS · Post #11 » by **ChicagoTRS** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 2:58 pm

He is an amazing talent. Count me as a believer.

I wrote coming into this year that there was no way he could duplicate his TD rate and just game changing ability of last year. I gave the over under on return TDs as 2...thinking 2 returns for TD in a year is really a great year for a returner. Well he has proven me wrong by game 6. I am ready to annoint him as the greatest returner in the history of the game. Add the fact he had one return TD called back and probably had 3-4 others that were very close to being returned. I have never seen a player like him.

I think just as a returner I would have to pay him like a #2 wide receiver. If he can put up 6-10 TDs a year between returns and offense...I would slot him as a #2 wide receiver value.

CjayC · Post #12 » by **CjayC** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 9:01 pm

No way he's behind Rashied Davis and Moose.

Maybe Bradley.

IMO Moose is at his twightlight,and I see him having more of a game changing impact than Davis,because he changes the dimension of the game from just being on the field.Rashied can catch the ball,but he doesn't strike fear in the heart of anybody

At this point Bradley,and Berrian are above him,because they are true WR's,but really all Hester has to do is continue to improve his route running technique,and his legs will take him the rest of the way.

ChicagoTRS · Post #13 » by **ChicagoTRS** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 9:33 pm

dougthonus wrote:
I think it was Deon Sanders who had the best ratio of TDs per touch as a returner and it was like 1 per 40 touches. Hester is around 1 per 12.

It still would seem there has to be an element of luck or small sample size as this kind of improvement over the best seems nearly impossible. The problem is the sample size is not really that small any more...Devin might just be this much better.

Joe Jackson · Post #14 » by **Joe Jackson** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 12:18 am

#1 - Where are all the people (and there were several) who were screaming and complaining and saying the Bears were crazy and incompetent for even playing him on offense a couple weeks ago when he hurt his shoulder trying to throw a block?
The argument was he is too valuable as a returner to risk injury as a receiver. And they were very vehement about it at the time.

#2 - Has anyone seen him throw a block yet since that attempt? I think you have to be able to block to be a starting receiver.

edit:
Oh, BTW, I'll tell you who is completely crazy and idiots for doing what they're doing is the Vikings risking Peterson to injury as a kick returner.
Even though doing so did set them up to win the game Sunday.
Peterson looks like and absolutely possesses all the talent to be an elite runner in the league. Not All-Pro, -"elite."
His biggest drawback and possible pitfall is he has an extensive injury background and could be labeled as next thing to "injury prone."
Even though he is an outstanding kick returner, why risk a running back of that caliber returning kicks where the risk of injury is highly increased? Crazy. (and I'll bet they stop it before long.)

Cliff Levingston · Post #15 » by **Cliff Levingston** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 6:27 pm

Cliff Levingston could see him being paid as a very good WR would. He helps our offense out more than anyone just by the field position he gives us. If our defense was anywhere near as good as it was last year than we would be in constant position to kick tons of field goals and thus wouldn't be 2-4.