Hopefully Turner was watching how to use a receiver to exploit a DEF and how to take pressure off a QB.

 

Credit the Giants D for not giving up because how frustrating must it have been to get pressure on TB only to see him dump it off to Faulk and Welker converting 3rd & long all day.

 

I also hope Hester was watching how Welker at his size runs tight precision routes and was able to protect himself from taking big hits by getting down when there is nothing left to a play.

 

Just imagine if Hester with all his talent was able to be utilized like Welker?

Hmm I agree. Hester obviously can be a more dominant receiver because of his physical tools but Welker's hands are damn good.

Hmm I agree. Hester obviously can be a more dominant receiver because of his physical tools but Welker's hands are damn good.

Welker's one of the quicker guys in the NFL (according to combine stats and my own observation) but he's nowhere near the fastest player in the NFL like Hester is, who is probably quicker than Welker to boot. So indeed, just imagine what Hester could do if given the same opportunities. But he needs to make some mental strides this offseason. Hopefully he'll stay healthy all next season and be another reason why Bears football is so exciting to watch.

Welker has also been a wide reciever for his entire life, so it isnt as if he is learning a new position on the fly like Hester. The only true difference between Hester and Welker in the slot is the polish that Welker has in the position. Hester is just extremely raw.

Also, Welker draws nowhere near the attention that Hester does. Everytime Hester lines up on offense, it is a circus. Even though Welker led the league in receptions, he rarely saw coverages shift to him (see Moss).

I also worry about durability. I think Wes can take a shot better than Devin...

 

Also, Welker draws nowhere near the attention that Hester does. Everytime Hester lines up on offense, it is a circus. Even though Welker led the league in receptions, he rarely saw coverages shift to him (see Moss).

Welker's one of the quicker guys in the NFL (according to combine stats and my own observation) but he's nowhere near the fastest player in the NFL like Hester is, who is probably quicker than Welker to boot. So indeed, just imagine what Hester could do if given the same opportunities. But he needs to make some mental strides this offseason. Hopefully he'll stay healthy all next season and be another reason why Bears football is so exciting to watch.

To start, Hester isn't. Yamon Figures (sp?) from the Ravens is the fastest.

 

Secondly, I like the idea. Too bad Hester probably couldn't memorize a playbook for his life, but let's hope he does

Hester is the quickest player in the NFL and has the best acceleration of anyone in the NFL. That alone makes up for the .01 seconds Figures or anyone else has on Hester's 40 time... plus, in pads, Hester is the fastest player in the NFL.

...and most importanly, he's a BEAR!

 

Hester is the quickest player in the NFL and has the best acceleration of anyone in the NFL. That alone makes up for the .01 seconds Figures or anyone else has on Hester's 40 time... plus, in pads, Hester is the fastest player in the NFL.

Another we should use Hester like ____________ thread...

To start, Hester isn't. Yamon Figures (sp?) from the Ravens is the fastest.

 

Secondly, I like the idea. Too bad Hester probably couldn't memorize a playbook for his life, but let's hope he does

To clarify, I was referring to Hester being "near(ly) the fastest" with an emphasis on the "near". It wasn't really important to my point whether or not Hester was #1 or #4, just that Welker doesn't even come close.

Hester is the quickest player in the NFL and has the best acceleration of anyone in the NFL. That alone makes up for the .01 seconds Figures or anyone else has on Hester's 40 time... plus, in pads, Hester is the fastest player in the NFL.

 

If you listen to the SCORE, Bear players will tell you that Hester's not even the fastest guy on the TEAM. That distinction belongs to Danieal Manning. I'm assuming that means "in pads."

 

I don't know how much of it is acceleration, or just his ability to make quick cuts. Not to mention his great vision.

My point is that Welker's routes are not complicated and that NE gets him invloved early and often. If the Bears did that with Hester he will have exponential growth at the WR postion by the increased number of reps in game situations as well as the positive impact it will have on the offense!

Hopefully Turner was watching how to use a receiver to exploit a DEF and how to take pressure off a QB.

 

Credit the Giants D for not giving up because how frustrating must it have been to get pressure on TB only to see him dump it off to Faulk and Welker converting 3rd & long all day.

 

I also hope Hester was watching how Welker at his size runs tight precision routes and was able to protect himself from taking big hits by getting down when there is nothing left to a play.

 

Just imagine if Hester with all his talent was able to be utilized like Welker?

 

It would be a waste to use Hester the way they use Welker. Welker is more of an "over-the middle" type receiver, who has the ability to break tackles, and take some big hits. Basically he's a faster version of Moose or Rashied Davis.

 

We need Hester to be like Randy Moss, the big home-run hitter. The Patriots beat the Giants during the regular season because they were able to connect with him on the long ball.

 

Actually, Steve Smith is probably a better example of who Hester should copy.

 

That being said, Hester cannot do what Welker does because:

A) He's too damn stupid to learn the play-book

He gets dropped easily on contact

C) We'd be nuts to risk him going across the middle consistently. He's too damn valuable.

Nice idea, but not even close.

 

Sure, Hester has great potential, but I do not see him being remotely close to Welker. Most of the things that make Welker great are also precisely what Hester lacks. He doesn't simply run "good" routes, but near perfect routes. He has awesome hands. I also think he shows great on-field intelligence. Finally, despite his size, ever see Welker block? He makes Moose look like a pussy.

 

Hester has great speed. Does that mean he is the best in the 40? No. He has great football speed. And more than speed, he has incredible quickness, acceleration and awareness. These are great attritutes for a WR, but he does not excel in the areas Welker does.

 

Steve Smith might be the better comparison. I don't think he runs precise routes, but he can go deep and get past the coverage, and can hurt the defense after the catch.

 

I just think it is a mistake to think of using Hester like Welker. That simply isn't the sort of WR Hester is.

which is it then........... NE lines Welker up all over and is constantly moving him around to expoit the middle but will also take a few shots with him down field much like how CAR uses Smith. What is wrong with developing a rythmn with a WR and using it to your advatage. If Hester was as fragile as you think than he would not be returning Kick Offs or Punts which have a higher risk of injury. I am all for developing Hester as an all around WR and think his development as a reciever is critical to the furture success of this team. I think Welker excels and running routes and protecting himself from taking big hits. Hester is bigger, stronger and psossibly faster than both Welker and Smith. He just is raw and needs more opportunities to develop and more than just the quick bubble pass or fake endround. Hester really has some good games towards the end of the season as he wasmore involved into the passing game.

 

Alot of team like NE throw the short passes becasue they can be as effective as a running the ball. I never said that Hester should only run short 3 yd routes but use these routes early to help estalish an offensive rythmn and to set up other plays which will help the O sustain drives.

 

Sorry your argument of not wanting our most exposive playmaker to get the ball more is weak and Ron Turner-esque(lacking imagination) which everyone seems to jump all over Turner for.

To clarify, I was referring to Hester being "near(ly) the fastest" with an emphasis on the "near". It wasn't really important to my point whether or not Hester was #1 or #4, just that Welker doesn't even come close.

 

 

 

Yeah and we all know how well Danielle Manning uses his speed especially when he takes the wrong pursuit angle. Controlled speed is dangerous and Devin has that ability like none other or very few. You could also argue Barry Sanders was not the fatest RB but it was his amazing ability to start full speeed, stop, cut and be back at full speed that made him a special player.

Who are you responding too? Who said we should not get the ball into the hands of Hester? The point being made, as I see it, is you want to use Hester like NE uses Welker, while Bradjock and I are making the point that Hester is a VERY different WR. That doesn't mean we do not want to get the ball into the hands of Hester, but feel like if we look at Hester and try to make him into Welker, we would not develop him well, nor help our offense.

 

How many WRs can you think of that come into the league and develop into elite route runners? I honestly can not think of a signle one. Most WRs like Welker, who are known for running such great routes, were known for such back in their college days as well. You also try to teach and work on route running, but IMHO, there are simply some WRs that are going to excel in this area, while most others will never be more than average. Same thing w/ many attributes. By the time you reach the NFL level, rarely do you turn a negative into a huge positive. You may well do enough so the negative is no longer a negative, or even a slight positive, but I do not think you often see it become a huge positive. Does that make sense. A guy w/ poor hands in college may become a decent hands guy, but likely will never be considered a sticky fingers guy.

 

Hester has some tremendous attributes, but I think it unrealistic to believe he will ever develop the route running abilities of Welker. Regardless of that, he can still become a damn good weapon, but simply a different one.

Who are you responding too? Who said we should not get the ball into the hands of Hester? The point being made, as I see it, is you want to use Hester like NE uses Welker, while Bradjock and I are making the point that Hester is a VERY different WR. That doesn't mean we do not want to get the ball into the hands of Hester, but feel like if we look at Hester and try to make him into Welker, we would not develop him well, nor help our offense.

 

How many WRs can you think of that come into the league and develop into elite route runners? I honestly can not think of a signle one. Most WRs like Welker, who are known for running such great routes, were known for such back in their college days as well. You also try to teach and work on route running, but IMHO, there are simply some WRs that are going to excel in this area, while most others will never be more than average. Same thing w/ many attributes. By the time you reach the NFL level, rarely do you turn a negative into a huge positive. You may well do enough so the negative is no longer a negative, or even a slight positive, but I do not think you often see it become a huge positive. Does that make sense. A guy w/ poor hands in college may become a decent hands guy, but likely will never be considered a sticky fingers guy.

 

Hester has some tremendous attributes, but I think it unrealistic to believe he will ever develop the route running abilities of Welker. Regardless of that, he can still become a damn good weapon, but simply a different one.

 

Is this question also in reference to Hester switching positions? In that case I would have to say that Hines Ward is one. However, the caveat is that Ward was a QB in college, so the idea of route running and patterns is probably burned into his brain anyways.

To start, Hester isn't. Yamon Figures (sp?) from the Ravens is the fastest.

 

Are you sure?

The point being made, as I see it, is you want to use Hester like NE uses Welker, while Bradjock and I are making the point that Hester is a VERY different WR.

You've got me convinced.

So, can we all just agree that Hester needs to be used more next year than this year, and that at this point it's a crapshoot as to what he'll be effective at other than returning kicks?

Agreed!

Are you sure?

I'm half wrong. I was right Hester wasn't fastest, but wrong it is Yamon Figures. There's actually 13 guys faster then Hester in the NFL currently:

 

1. Michael Bennett- 4.13

2. Laveraneus Coles- 4.16

3. Ike Taylor- 4.184

4. Joey Galloway- 4.187

5. Ahman Green- 4.19

6. Kevin Curtis- 4.21

7. Donte Stallworth- 4.22

8. Willie Parker- 4.23

9. Randy Moss- 4.25

9. Fabian Washington- 4.25

10. Champ Bailey- 4.28

10. Jerome Mathis- 4.28

10. Willis McGahee- 4.28

14. Stanford Routt- 4.29

 

Hester isn't even on the top 14. Actually, he's probably in the 30's; he ran a 4.45

Interesting!

 

As Mark Twain once said, "There are lies, damn lies, and statistics."

 

I'm half wrong. I was right Hester wasn't fastest, but wrong it is Yamon Figures. There's actually 13 guys faster then Hester in the NFL currently:

 

1. Michael Bennett- 4.13

2. Laveraneus Coles- 4.16

3. Ike Taylor- 4.184

4. Joey Galloway- 4.187

5. Ahman Green- 4.19

6. Kevin Curtis- 4.21

7. Donte Stallworth- 4.22

8. Willie Parker- 4.23

9. Randy Moss- 4.25

9. Fabian Washington- 4.25

10. Champ Bailey- 4.28

10. Jerome Mathis- 4.28

10. Willis McGahee- 4.28

14. Stanford Routt- 4.29

 

Hester isn't even on the top 14. Actually, he's probably in the 30's; he ran a 4.45