Bears' Devin Hester might seek trade

Devin  Hester sounded like a broken man when head coach Lovie Smith was fired by the Chicago Bears. After another frustrating end to the season and no playoffs, Hester's frustration boiled over and he threatened  to retire. After about a month he reconsidered.  

Now Hester says he might need a change of scenery. With a year left on his contract Hester spoke about his future and determined that he might be better served playing elsewhere.

"I'm going to try to get two or three more years in,'' Hester told the Chicago Tribune on Saturday. "I think I have that much left in me.

"At the same time, I think I do need a fresh start.'' 

Hester sounds like he wants to stay, but after seeing his role diminish on offense he doesn't know if he sees himself in the Bears' immediate plans. That has much to do with his frustration. Throw in Lovie Smith's firing and you have a player that says he might need to be traded.


"It's a possibility,'' he said. "I'm loyal to my team. But the fans and my teammates have to understand where I'm coming from.

"I don't want to walk away from this game with another season going the way it ended this year. … It might have to take a fresh start somewhere else.''

Hester is a playmaker, but he's more of a one trick pony than a guy to include in an offensive game plan. I don't see anyone making a trade for him, but remember the Oakland Raiders were roped into taking Carson Palmer off the Bengals' hands, so anything is possible.

Sayers: Hester Is Hall Of Fame Material

A Hall Of Fame kick/punt returner. Apparently Gale Sayers thinks so. He believes that Hester has Hall of Fame credentials.

  “Devin Hester deserves to be in the Hall of Fame, no question about it. He has a chance to get there. And more than likely, he probably will," Sayers told Fred Mitchell of the Chicago Tribune.


"I think I was probably the first (Hall of Fame) running back to return punts and kickoffs and run from the line of scrimmage," Sayers said. "I had a good career rushing with the football, too, and scoring touchdowns (22 as a rookie). (Hester) is only doing kick returns (although he is also a wide receiver) and he is having a hell of a career. No doubt, he will probably go into the Hall of Fame."

As great as Sayers is, I gotta disagree. The only way Devin Hester gets into the Hall of Fame is if he demolishes return records. He does play receiver but hasn't carved out a significant role for him on the offensive side of the ball. I think if they keep doing that he'll go the way of Dante Hall, the last star returner that got more snaps on offense and fizzled out. Hester is exceptional at what he does, but he's not Hall of Fame worthy. Even with a great lke Gale Sayers endorsing him. Eventually he (Hester) will lose a step so he'll have to make plenty of big returns to break records. Also teams will jsut start kicking out of bounds.