The criticism started two seasons ago in Philadelphia, after Devin Hester wandered over to then-teammate Muhsin Muhammad pre-snap for clarity on a play.
Bears receivers coach Darryl Drake would tell you Hester’s action signified a young receiver coming of age by turning to the right person for help. But skeptics viewed it as a talented player incapable of picking up the offense.
“Devin was doing the right thing because we were in a no-huddle situation,” Drake recalled. “He was the widest guy, so he has to come in and get the play. I don’t want him running all the way inside then having to run all the way back.”
Detractors still question Hester’s football intellect, wondering why he was unable to connect with gunslinger Jay Cutler several times in exhibition play. Hester humbly accepted blame even though there was enough fault to spread around.
When Hester was first converted to a receiver from cornerback following the 2006 season, Drake was the first to say it would be a three-year process. Based on Hester’s success as a return man — and his 81-yard touchdown reception against the Vikings in his first year at receiver — most expected him to blossom immediately and put up 1,000-yard seasons with as much ease as his 11 kick returns for touchdowns.
Hester’s evolution, now in Year 3, should be clearly evident Sunday night in Green Bay as the Bears kick off the season against the rival Packers. The Bears have enough offensive weapons, including Matt Forte and Greg Olsen, to allow Cutler to spread the ball around. In the end, the label of No. 1 receiver might be meaningless.
But Hester, third on the team in receiving last season with 51 catches to go with a team-high 665 yards, no doubt wants to elevate his game to that elite level so he doesn’t struggle against pressing defensive backs.
Olsen, who also played with Hester at the University of Miami, notices his teammate’s growth on a daily basis.
“Sometimes he feels things, does things like on the playground … he just has a good sense of getting open and finding the soft spots in the zones,” Olsen said.
Tight end Desmond Clark also believes people have unfairly scrutinized Hester’s ability to catch on as a receiver.
“It does irk you when people say he’s not picking things up,” Clark said. “The fact is, from 2007 to 2009, he’s 200 times better as a receiver.”
