Should The Bucs Pounce On Devin Hester?
June 18th, 2013
Joe’s read the buzz out of Chicago that the Bears may cut Devin Hester.
Joe’s also acutely aware that the New Schiano Order couldn’t find a returner last season, doesn’t have an established returner now, and it’s got a wide open competition near the bottom of its wide receiver depth chart. The Bucs also have a pile of available cash to pay Hester, whose contract called for $2 million this season.
Hester wasn’t his lethal-returner self last season, and he’s 30 years old. But the guy is healthy and surely is far better than what the Bucs have to offer now. He also would represent great depth as a No. 4 or No. 5 receiver.
For Joe, the Bears making it public that Hester doesn’t have a roster spot locked up is code for Chicago seeking trade offers.
Rockstar general manager Mark Dominik has a lot of recent history dealing with the Bears (Gaines Adams, Brian Price, Gabe Carimi). Perhaps a move for Hester is just the kind of low-risk, high-reward gamble that could improve the Buccaneers.
June 18th, 2013 at 12:03 pm
Yes.
June 18th, 2013 at 12:10 pm
Sure, why not? Throw them a…5th? and a sixth or seventh in ’15 and theyd probably take that to unload the cap #. Its not like we’re begging for a return guy thats over 30. And (hahah) Dom isnt going to be robbed blind by da Bears (ref: Joe’s cited evidence).
Take a shot at getting him, but theres no need to go nuts trying to get him.
June 18th, 2013 at 12:11 pm
For a 7th maybe.
June 18th, 2013 at 12:12 pm
Yes.
It would also be another high-profile addition to help generate some more buzz around the community and he could potential contribute as a slot receiver. He’s never had any attitude problems and would all but put to rest any concerns about the returner position for the next few seasons. It’s a no-brainer if the price is right.
June 18th, 2013 at 12:14 pm
Yes! Would love to see this but dont count on his receiving skills. Bears tried to do it for years and Hester never came around. Apparently his routes are atrocious.
June 18th, 2013 at 12:14 pm
Go get this guy if he is made available.
Hester is an absolute head ache to kick to, and he would help our team win field position.
Yes to Hester, yes, yes, yes…
June 18th, 2013 at 12:18 pm
I don’t know about “pounce” on him. I don’t think I’d like to see a trade, unless for conditional 7th, based on whether or not he’s on the opening day roster. If they did make a trade for him, I would understand why the Bucs would make such a move.
If he’s due $2 mil currently, I’d be willing to wager he would sign for $1.5M – $2M if he were cut, and the Bucs would not need to trade anything for him.
If cut, there may be plenty of teams wanting to give him a look at the veteran minimum, but I doubt too many teams would be interested in paying $1.5 million or more for a player who’s entire game was predicated on his speed, appears to have lost a step, and is now on the wrong side of 30.
June 18th, 2013 at 12:22 pm
No doubt we should pounce on him; pounce on’em like a fly does sh!t if the Bears are stupid enuff to cut him…Hester was basically the Bears offense during the Lovie Smith era…Yeah he’s 30 but I believe the Kick Off rule changes hurt him more so than any other player at his position…I think he needs a change of scenery and what better place than FLA the SuNShiNe STaTe…Come on home Devin…
June 18th, 2013 at 12:30 pm
Not sure why the Bears would part ways if he still can return kicks. $2M in cap space surely could be found somewhere on that roster.
June 18th, 2013 at 12:42 pm
Give him a try-out first. Does he have anything left in the tank? or should we add him on name alone? I’d hate to pay this guy 2 mil and take a roster spot from one of the up and comers only to be average. Make him earn his way on with no guarantees.
June 18th, 2013 at 12:49 pm
He would help with field position for the most part since teams will kick out of bounce a lot, but I would wait to see if he gets cut first before I trade for him. He was thinking about retirement earlier this year, so it would suck if they trade for him and he retires.
June 18th, 2013 at 12:54 pm
No-brainer to get this guy, only because he absolutely represents an upgrade. Plus he’ll sell some tickets. I’m f’n sick of the damn blackouts. Is it too much to ask to sit on my couch in Largo and watch every Bucs game?
June 18th, 2013 at 12:54 pm
Yes, to elite returner.
June 18th, 2013 at 1:07 pm
My issue with him is hhe isn’t really worth much outside of returning. To pay a guy that is solely a returner 2mil a year is a bit much. I don’t think he’s a better wr than Wood or Ogletree so he would be looking at the 5th spot at best.
I guess we have the money so we could sign him for a year and see how he looks but as others have mentioned, he wasn’t as amazing last season as he has been. I wouldn’t be mad if we signed him but it would most likely be for more money than he appears to be worth and I don’t think we will get much out of him.
June 18th, 2013 at 1:11 pm
Yep. This is a no-brainer. Nothing to lose at all. And they will have another known commodity; an exciting player as a draw to sell more tickets.
June 18th, 2013 at 1:23 pm
HELL yes!
June 18th, 2013 at 1:42 pm
No
June 18th, 2013 at 1:42 pm
Yes but I would want to reconstruct his contract once signing with the bucs if possible.
June 18th, 2013 at 1:51 pm
Hmm special teams coach from the “U” and head coached was at the “U” I see it happening. Why not who else do we have .. No one
June 18th, 2013 at 1:56 pm
BigSombrero,
Question for you:
Is 2M per 2013 for Hester’s services worth it, if we make the playoffs?
Hester was a game changer, if he still has the return ability, then YES!
June 18th, 2013 at 2:03 pm
One word, “onlyif”
– he’s healthy
– still has gas in the tank
– want to be a buc man
June 18th, 2013 at 2:21 pm
Will the addition upgrade our team at said position???
Hell Yes, lets hope we can make another splash move that would immediately make our return game lethal and one of the best in the game.
Devin Hester may be getting older, but he is still a pro bowl level returner.
June 18th, 2013 at 2:31 pm
NO. People are in love with the Hester of old. The past few years, he sucks. What has he done is CHI lately? Force kickers to kick away from him?
I say no. His better days are behind.
June 18th, 2013 at 2:34 pm
The kick return game has been completely devalued by moving the kickoff from the 30 to the 35 yard line. The vast majority of kickoffs are now touchbacks, and the ones that are returned have a much lower average than they used to.
That means Hester’s value is roughly 50% of what it used to be before the change because he’s basically just a punt returner now. You guys really want to pay a guy $2 million just to return punts? I could see the Bucs maybe being interested at $1-$1.5 million. Maybe.
Personally I wouldn’t get my panties all in a wad if the Bucs pass. And I wouldn’t be overly excited if they sign him. It’s just kind of, “meh, whatever.” He has name recognition from past achievements but what does he have left in the tank? What did he accomplish last year? Not a whole lot.
June 18th, 2013 at 2:48 pm
lol Devin Hester has PLENTY left in his tank.
For a perennially terrible return team, it would be a smart move.
That said, I doubt that this happens.
June 18th, 2013 at 2:51 pm
Only on a FA tryout, or a seventh – conditional on making the opening day roster.
June 18th, 2013 at 4:16 pm
The Chicago player I would be happy with is Idonije. He would add to the team as depth for sure. Hester doesnt help depth wise really since his receiving skills are negligible. He hasnt shown the same ability kick return wise in awhile but that could be due to teams not giving him a chance.
I think we can find a good enough return man for cheaper and a guy that brings value somewhere else on the field. I just dont think hes that great anymore and he has no real versatility outside of returning. If he lowers his price then sure, but not at 2mil.
June 18th, 2013 at 4:46 pm
By the way, is there waiver priority during the offseason? I think it’s done on a priority system based on inverse order of winning percentage.
Chances are if the Bucs are interested they will trade for him, rather than take a chance on a waiver claim.
June 18th, 2013 at 5:05 pm
I say no. We may already have a quality kick returner on the team and Hester is 30 years old. I understand the desire to have a good kick returner, but if we keep going with old guys we’ll end up missing out on a young guy that may already be here.
And the presence of Hester will not get us to the Superbowl. That’s a dream. It would take a much improved team, fewer injuries and officials not costing us the games with bad calls.
June 18th, 2013 at 5:10 pm
stevek Says:
“Is 2M per 2013 for Hester’s services worth it, if we make the playoffs?”
Aren’t we already built to make the playoffs?
June 18th, 2013 at 5:20 pm
Name of the Buccaneers weakness for the past 4 years?
The return game. As a matter of fact in the history of the bucs the return game has not been very good.
And now the greatest return man EVER is available and some of you on here are saying now? This guy doesn’t have much as far injury concerns, and hasn’t been an off the field issue. I say yes to this a thousand times.
June 18th, 2013 at 5:49 pm
The DEnds aren’t going to change. We have too many as it is, and we’re not gunna add a pricey backup. Teo’Nesh did fine. An Gholston could become a monster.
Hester (like someone above said) is a giant ‘meh’. Does he have something left? Probably. Is it worth 2mil? Probably not. Would it be fun to help “win the offseason”? Sure. But we’re one of the deepest teams in the league, all around.
If they want him for cheap..go for it. But don’t go crazy
June 18th, 2013 at 7:25 pm
lol let’s be realistic Hester is NOT old lol…
Age 30 is not old and its is completely UNREALISTIC to believe that there cannot be key veteran contributors on this team. Not every players can be young Buc.
The Patriots have dominated for a decade with older vets.
Hester saw his production on returns go down because of the Bears desire to use him more in the offense as a WR.
June 18th, 2013 at 8:26 pm
2 mil in today’s NFL standards is pocket change. If this guy is anything close to what he was in his earlier years as a returner, 2 mil is a hell of a deal. Some of you act as if this is gonna put us through cap hell. Lol, but as someone said before if the Bears are letting him go for that price… something must be wrong with him.
June 18th, 2013 at 8:32 pm
Get him as a return specialist, NOT as a receiver!
June 18th, 2013 at 10:19 pm
Yes and I’d only have return kicks & punts.
June 19th, 2013 at 9:14 am
i would trade a 5 round pick for him.