Post by ScottCool on Jul 28, 2008 0:16:07 GMT -5
A half hour into his first practice of training camp Sunday, Devin Hester got behind cornerback Charles Tillman and hauled in a 40-yard pass from quarterback Rex Grossman.
It's the type of thing the Chicago Bears are hoping to see a lot during the regular season after signing Hester to a four-year contract extension, reportedly worth up to $40 million.
"I think the Bears have a lot of faith in me, and they feel that I do a lot of things on the offensive side of the ball, so they rewarded me," said Hester, who in two seasons is two touchdown returns short of Brian Mitchell's record of 13 kick or punt returns touchdowns -- a mark that took 14 years to set.
After a standoff between Hester's agent, Eugene Parker, and the team ended Sunday morning, Bears coach Lovie Smith wore a huge smile.
"I'm smiling most of the time I'm talking about Devin Hester; now I can ... a little bit more," Smith said after practice.
At issue for the Bears was whether to pay Hester like a return man or like a top wide receiver when they made him the 22nd player on the current roster to receive a contract extension. They converted Hester to wide receiver last year when he made 20 catches, and this year expect him to start in place of lost free agent wide receiver Bernard Berrian.
It's the type of thing the Chicago Bears are hoping to see a lot during the regular season after signing Hester to a four-year contract extension, reportedly worth up to $40 million.
"I think the Bears have a lot of faith in me, and they feel that I do a lot of things on the offensive side of the ball, so they rewarded me," said Hester, who in two seasons is two touchdown returns short of Brian Mitchell's record of 13 kick or punt returns touchdowns -- a mark that took 14 years to set.
After a standoff between Hester's agent, Eugene Parker, and the team ended Sunday morning, Bears coach Lovie Smith wore a huge smile.
"I'm smiling most of the time I'm talking about Devin Hester; now I can ... a little bit more," Smith said after practice.
At issue for the Bears was whether to pay Hester like a return man or like a top wide receiver when they made him the 22nd player on the current roster to receive a contract extension. They converted Hester to wide receiver last year when he made 20 catches, and this year expect him to start in place of lost free agent wide receiver Bernard Berrian.
