GM Angelo hopeful Hester will come to terms with Bears

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Chicago Bears return specialist Devin Hester skipped his second straight day of practice and now has accrued $30,000 in fines-and the meter's running. A source said Thursday afternoon that no progress had been made in the contract standoff. Agent Eugene Parker was unavailable for comment.

Hester, a day after sounding emotional over his $445,000 and threatening to sit out the entire season, didn't answer his phone. One teammate said Hester remained at home Thursday.

Jerry Angelo was busy on the phone trying to work through this unexpected hassle and didn't speak to reporters other than in an interview on WMVP-AM 1000. Appearing on "Mac, Jurko & Harry," Angelo sounded a slightly more upbeat note than others involved in the process.

"We're optimistic and we want to reward Devin," Angelo said. "We told him that, he's earned that. He doesn't have to tell us how great he is. Or tell us any stats. We've all seen it for ourselves."

Source: Chicago Tribune

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1. Posted by Woods Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:45 pm EDT
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this has to be the worst general manager/ownership team in the league! they give in to all the demands of their players...
2. Posted by KC Big Ones Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:14 pm EDT
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They make ALOT of Money cause they Spend ALOT of Money~!
3. Posted by BC Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:23 pm EDT
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Yes. It is a horrible idea to come to terms with your players. I bet they don't even negotiate. They just ask how much they want and cut a check.
4. Posted by Boom Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:56 pm EDT
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What! If they just "I bet they don't even negotiate. They just ask how much they want and cut a check" Hester would be in camp and Briggs would not have missed time in camp last year as well as every first round pick except this years pick.
5. Posted by halfnthebag Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:15 pm EDT
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Some of the crazy-ness I can see being a painful ordeal for Ownership. (Players whining over the fact that a guy of same caliber got 1 mill more - or those types of crappy issues)
But when you have an ELITE, Multi-dimensional, Missile like Hester... then ya gotta pay. He's getting what??? 445,000..... com'on now, some of these joke 1st rounders are getting ridiculous money and haven't even played a down yet... not alone become a ProBowler.
I think this rookie business needs to stop. It isn't fair to pay for potential. If that were the case in other sports the teams would have to fold. Imagine paying Ovechkin or Crosby their first contract what their potential dictated? 200 million dollars each - based on what they ALONE bring in merchandise, seat sales etc.... I think its a crazy thing, when you have honest guys like Hester who has definitely outperformed his contract. (Yeah I don't generally like that term, but it fits here).
6. Posted by rOck Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:07 pm EDT
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Agreed! Worst management ever. Here's the thing, you can either A) show him the money! or B) Trade him for his value. A we win because we have the most explosive kick returner in the game ( Now a converted receiver ) or B we win because we get high value for him as a player. So I don't really see a loss except for the fact that this guy has actually won games with his returns in previous years. Anyone remember that Arizona Cardinals game? IMO Angelo has to be an idiot to let this guy go anywhere. Why doesn't he cut his salary and give Devin a piece. :)
7. Posted by Flammy The Belly Lint Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:19 pm EDT
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I'm really not sure why people hassle the management for being cheap. They have given big contract extensions to everyone these last couple of years (Briggs,Urlacher,Harris,Gould,Vasher,Tillman) all key guys worth keeping. They balked at Berrian for good reason. He's not proven at the level of these other guys. Vikings were willing to overpay. That's their problem.
If you want to criticize then do it because Angelo has not drafted well.
But his biggest sin is easily his allegiance to Grossman and his inability to sign a real QB.
Big misses this offseason (Anderson QB, and Turner RB).
But I really don't think Bears are cheap. They do spend wisely on the correct players.
8. Posted by ArthurAZ Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:13 pm EDT
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It's unbelievable that the Bears are hedging on a pay raise for Hester. 445,000 is crap compared to wat Devin gave this team in the last 2 years. Even tho he doesn't deserve receiver's salary they can give Gould 15,0000,000 for kicking. I know Hester signed a contract but so did Urlacher. Where will the Bears be without these guys? You know if they don't give him a raise he may just play out his contract and wait for free agency. Some team with brains will sign him for 35 Mil and let the Bears see what they are missing. Same ol same ol for the cheapskates.
9. Posted by Gimy Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:09 pm EDT
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this is one time where both sides seem to be quite dumb. if hess REALLY is asking for #1 wide receiver money...he should be put in a mental institution. he's nowhere near worth that much. especially since he'll receive probably 10 percent of the kicks this year. nobody is going to kick to him. why would they? but angelo saying wow, i was surprised by him holding out...is just insane. hopefully both idiots come to terms and they can put it behind them. but the whole "bears are cheap" is a stupid comment made by a stupid person. they always pay the guys, so they can't be cheap. SLOW? yeah...you COULD say that
10. Posted by KUKC44 Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:07 pm EDT
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The biggest problem in the NFL with players and and their negotiations with their employers, is that they are made public. This will always cause problems in any business no matter if it's in the NFL or out here in the real world. Employees should not know what each other make. You add the fact that unproven players come into the NFL and make more than the proven players, it makes it all that much worse. Devin has every right for what he is doing. He's the MAN on the Bears.
11. Posted by BC Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:23 pm EDT
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Boom,
It is called sarcasm. I thought the part where I said: "It is a horrible idea to come to terms with your players." might have made that obvious.
12. Posted by Robert B Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:55 pm EDT
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If Devin becomes a deep threat, then if he settles this year, he'll settle cheap. Next year he'll want to renegoitiate again. So wait till next year and make 'em pay. He's the best return man ever, but how valuable is that position? If the other team kicks away from him, anyone could play his position. He's exciting to watch, but at wr he'll be on the field more and worth more. Angelo is doing the right thing, he's offering to pay him what his position is worth. Want a raise, change positions.
13. Posted by Illini fan Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:09 pm EDT
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dang just give the greatest return man ever two million and be done with it
14. Posted by Robert B Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:55 pm EDT
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Hester just reported to camp. If he hadn't reported, he could have been put on the block. Or was it $15,000 a day in fines will eat up his salary quickly. He'll get a one year extension like Orton did. Now they both have to prove themselves in their jobs. Devin might not even return kicks this year if he's a good wr. If Orton works out, and I believe he will,(he's 12 and 6 as a starter) he'll regret signing a one year extension as will Hester if he's successful as a wr. Hester is a great player, but he has played a position that's not as important as middle linebacker or wr, so he will never make that kind of money.
15. Posted by dominick m Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:34 pm EDT
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Bears are garbage anyways-- lets talk about a team with potential, THE JETS ! !
16. Posted by chillyfromphilly Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:33 pm EDT
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exactly who in the nfl doesnt want a new contract? sheesh! but i kinda have to agree with hester, who makes less than half a milli. but while he is a special player, he is a special teams player. he doesnt play wide out all that often and when he has he has looked average. should he be making more than he is? maybe? but then maybe he should be more productive as a wideout because special teams players only make but so much mainly because they"re not on the field but so much.
17. Posted by William C Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:46 pm EDT
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number 17 needs to shut up the Jets... come on they wish they had someone like devin hester any team wish they could have someone who can turn a game around like that!!!!
18. Posted by Mark M Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:08 pm EDT
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We have Joshua Cribbs in Cleveland and Savage was wise enough to lock him up for 7 years after his first season. Cleveland rewards players for production I'm not so sure what the Bears are doing but they need to ante up realistically of course and pay the man. Hester is an electric player. He too needs to be logical
19. Posted by tazz Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:23 pm EDT
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will next year some1 else might have him
20. Posted by Cubs/Bears Fan Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:30 pm EDT
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Pay Hester what he's worth- not some paltry $445,000. Go broke if thats possible. If the Bears are watching their purse, they need to go to Walmart. They give some guy Kevin Jones $16 million to play and I'll bet he gets hurt in practice. I wish Jerry Angelo would be a GM for Brittany Spears.