He’s ridiculous but should the Bears trade him?

By Ryan Tenbusch
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Devin Hester - The NFL's most valuable player?
(Photo by Oscar Lopez)

I’m not telling you anything you didn’t already know, but Devin Hester is ridiculous as Bears radio announcer Jeff Joniak has so popularly stated. I openly admit that after Hester’s remarkable rookie campaign, I questioned if he was lightning in a bottle and a one-year wonder.

I was wrong.

He’s something from a video game world and the Bears should make a decision to do something with him this off-season. That something should be to sign him to a long term deal for millions or trade him. That’s right, you read the end of that last sentence correctly, trade him.

While most teams have to figure out how to play Devin Hester, the Bears have arguably the tougher task of figuring out how to pay him accordingly. Neither is an easy task and the Bears are going to figure that out this winter as quickly as he rips off an 80-yard return. By now you all know about the eye popping numbers he has achieved in less than two seasons in Chicago.

12 is the number of total returns for touchdowns Hester has achieved in two seasons, including a 92-yard kickoff return against the Colts in Super Bowl XLI and a 108-yard missed-field-goal return last season against the Giants.

10 is the number of Hester's regular-season kick returns for touchdowns, a team record and three shy of the NFL record held by Brian Mitchell. Hester stands fourth on the all-time list behind Mitchell (13), Dante Hall (12) and Eric Metcalf (12).

135 is the number of Hester's total punt and kickoff returns in 28 games.

1,070 is the number of Mitchell's total career returns in a whopping 223 games.

14.0 is the number of Hester's average punt return, which is 3.3 yards better than Mitchell's.

25.5 is the number of Hester's average kickoff return, which is 2.4 yards better than Mitchell's.

Now let me tell you about some numbers you probably aren’t aware of because the player with the numbers listed above and the man with the highest total jersey sales for the Bears this year is also the biggest bargain anybody in Chicago will see this holiday season.

Devin Hester will earn $360,000 this season, which is about $73,000 less than Lance Briggs makes per game, and Hester still has two years and $975,000 left on his modest rookie contract.

He came dirt-cheap by NFL standards, originally signing a four-year deal that included a $255,000 roster bonus and a $907,500 option bonus for a total of $1.26 million in guaranteed money. A guy on the streets (go…hurry) could make that back in a weekend selling "Devin Hester, you are ridiculous!" T-shirts if he wanted to.

It only makes sense to lock him up with a long-term contract after he silenced any and all critics with an amazing encore to his rookie season. Of course, he’ll have to get in line for his contract behind Briggs and Bernard Berrian, but the Bears shouldn’t wait too long and risk angering him. Not only has he earned the big money that’s due to him, but he has earned enough respect around the league to be treated and paid like one of the league's elite superstars players. He’s the NFL's most undervalued player and he shouldn’t have to wait for his money with all that he’s done for this team.

But if the Bears front office sees it differently, they should trade him. His value would never be higher after this season (you’d think) and the Bears could get a lot in return for his services. There is always a team and a GM that thinks they are one major piece away from being a Super Bowl contender. Teams think that one player will push them over the edge and land them a championship, and often they pay handsomely for it.

The Bears need a lot of help in a lot of places as this season has shown. The offensive line is the area that most needs help with it looking old and in shambles. The running back situation is up in the air with Benson out for the year after proving he looks like a back that might be a bust after being a fourth overall pick. Our Adrian Peterson has shown flashes of productivity but I wonder if he can sustain a heavy workload as the featured back for a full season on a team that prides it’s self on running the football.

The wide receiver spot is a huge question mark with Berrian being a free agent, Muhsin Muhammad looking very old, and Mark Bradley being unable to stay on the field due to injuries. And of course, there is the matter of the most important position in all of team sports to be filled. Rex isn’t the answer. Griese isn’t the answer. We have no solutions, only a multitude of questions surrounding this team.

One way to fix some of these problems is to trade your most valuable chip. You can get proven players for Hester or better yet, multiple first and second round draft picks for a player of his caliber and magnitude. You go get a QB in the off-season, take those picks to grab a stud offensive lineman or two and a quarterback to mold as your future and suddenly your looking up for years to come. Because as it is now, you have nothing to really build on for the future as this team is more built to win now.

I can hear the outcry now of how insane the idea of trading away your best player even is. When a guy is described as ''a nuclear weapon'' by Tony Dungy, ''the best ever'' by Mike Shanahan and a phantasm who should be avoided by kicking the ball into Lake Michigan as Lions coach Rod Marinelli said, you’d be crazy to even suggest an idea.

But I’m not crazy, I’m just ridiculous. And not in a good Devin Hester sort of way.