Devin Hester’s name has now been hastily scratched onto the bottom of the list of offseason distractions for the Bears. The receiver-to-be caused a stir when training camp opened with his quickest move yet: a stunning holdout that caught the front office by surprise. With all the other signings and extensions the Bears have had this year, it’s almost fitting that arguably the best player on the team – and certainly the most dynamic – would be left by the wayside to ponder his fate.

Considering the way big dogs like Urlacher and Harris handled things, it’s natural for Hester to follow suit. You can’t fault him for that. However, that being said, I strongly urge him to fire his agent, Eugene Parker, and report to camp. The Bears are basically keeping the top receiving spot warm for him until he can climb into it. They are pinning the future of the receiving corps squarely on his and his shoulders only. Reliance on wideouts isn’t normally something the Bears practice but Chicago would take great comfort in the knowledge that the only sure player on their team will be getting thrown to at least ten times a game.

Look at all the offensive position battles the Bears need to wade through: Grossman vs. Orton, Forte vs. Jones vs. Peterson, Williams vs. St. Clair. The O is a tangled mess and the Bears must be sure they’re getting the most out of the talent they have in order to somewhat resemble a contender. That means Hester, primed and ready, lining up at the one spot (or at least the two) on the line of scrimmage.

The main issue here is the same one that’s been plaguing the league for years, one I like to sum up as potential vs. proof. It deals with players looking for more money when they have yet to prove they fully deserve it. Case in point: Devin Hester. The explosive returner has without a doubt shown off his incredible vision and speed, setting new records for returns in just two years and single-handedly winning at least three games for the team in that timeframe – against Arizona and St. Louis in ’06 and Denver in ’07. And the Bears have responded in kind, reportedly offering him a contract that would make him the highest paid special teams player in the NFL. But, no, this is not what Devin wants. He wants the big money, the kind that the Vikings shelled out for Bernard Berrian last February, the kind of stuff a number one makes. And this is the crux of the problem. The blatant reality of the situation is that Hester is not a number one no matter how badly the Bears want him to be. Last season he took meager baby steps in his development, so how does anyone figure him to jump into this role now?

This twisted logic has created notable perversions in the NFL Draft, too. Top draft picks are getting paid increasingly more and more before ever playing in an NFL game. Matt Ryan, the third overall choice by the Falcons, got a whopping $72 million contract with almost $35 million guaranteed a few months ago. That makes him the fourth highest paid player in the league behind Super Bowl winners Peyton Manning and Ben Roethlisberger and Pro Bowler Carson Palmer. It’s almost not worth getting the top picks now because organizations are being forced to offer the kind of money contingent with the rising market. Everything boils down to how much potential a pick offers because that’s all teams have to go on.

The Bears were severely burned in this fashion a few years ago when the Cedric Benson Experiment stumbled out of the gate. Benson’s thirty-six day holdout lasted all of training camp and noticeably hindered his development on the field. It also strained the relations between him and his teammates and probably contributed to that hot head of his the first year. Benson knew the Bears envisioned him as their featured back and he believed he could just waltz right in and snatch the torch from old Thomas Jones. When he couldn’t do that right away, the Bears lost him and the money they guaranteed him.

Perhaps the Bears need to make a drastic move in response to Hester’s stubbornness. Throw him on the trading block, maybe? See what kind of offers are thrown around? Surely many Chicago fans would find this notion unthinkable, but is it really so? Think about it: his value is peaking right now. He’s had two years to establish himself as hands down the best returner in the game, a player so talented he’s already changed his position. He’s right about to start a season in which he’ll be looking to make his name in the receiving game like many other returners before him. The Bears could easily wrangle a first-rounder and maybe a second- or third-rounder for Hester’s services, pieces that may prove valuable cornerstones for a future championship team.

More importantly, considering the reputations of receiver converts like Dante Hall and Desmond Howard, the Bears would be able to cut their loss nicely. It’s a widely known adage that when returners take a larger role on offense, their special teams play declines. Their approach to the mentality of the position shifts to that of a back or wideout, looking to swing back and forth in motion and search for the big hole rather than securing the ball and then acting. The expanded role is sometimes simply too much. Steve Smith made the transition appear seamless when he broke through in 2005 to lead the league in catches, receiving yards, and touchdowns, but his case is an exception since he played wide receiver at Utah. People often forget that the good folks at the University of Miami struggled mightily to integrate Hester into the offense and still couldn’t really succeed. Should Chicago start worrying? Hester ran maybe a total of four or five routes as a receiver last year, but what about now, when Turner is handing him the entire playbook? I admit it’s far-fetched for the Bears to consider a trade, but if the Packers can shop Brett Favre around, anything can happen.

When all is said and done, though, it’s clear that Hester is not only the best player on the Bears, but he’s also the player with the most upside. Imagine him burning down the sideline, beating the corner jam and hauling in a mighty sixty-yard pass from the Grossman/Orton Duo (or some future amalgamation of), sidestepping the free safety and walking into the end zone. Imagine him lining up in the slot and running circles around the linebackers, pulling up in a hitch so quick he breaks the corner’s ankles, or gunning for some kind of crazed triple reverse. The possibilities with him are endless. Hester is a one-of-a-kind ability and for those you must make exceptions: the potential rewards outweigh the financial risks.

Holding out is still the worst decision #23 could make. It sends the wrong message and subverts the time, energy, and motivation he needs to succeed. Briggs, Urlacher, and Harris all got their contract issues taken care of after a bit; why doesn’t Hester feel it will happen for him? He should take a note from Vasher, whose stellar performance also led to similar disputes before his third year. Instead of holding out, which he had threatened, Vasher played out the season and was welcomed with a fat new contract afterwards.

The Bears have at least recognized Hester’s uniqueness and are willing to negotiate, something the organization is usually averse to doing with players who still have two years left on current deals. All those restless souls in the greater Chicago area need not fret; this deal will get done and Hester will be triumphantly returned to the gridiron. There is no way the Bears let him out of their grasp. I mean, how chilling would it be to see him returning kicks against us? And what if he does develop into an ace receiver, something the Bears have missed for a long time?

At the end of the day, the only person that needs to worry is Hester’s financial advisor. Currently, Devin is scheduled to make $445,000 this year. As usual, for every day he misses training camp he will be fined $15,000. If he continues the holdout today, Friday, July 25, the total fine will stand at $45,000. How long do you think he can continue such lavish spending? Not until his name gets crossed off that list of offseason distractions, right where Briggs’s, Urlacher’s, and Harris’s used to be.

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