Could they do a straight up swap for Josh Cribbs?

I'm not going to say I'm against the 'trade high' idea, but you're right-- Pompei's suggestion that he's going to get that much value in a trade is a bit of a stretch.

That seems like an arbitrary trade package Dan Pompeii put together. Why not a first rounder, two third rounders, four fouth rounders, six sixth rounders, and a blocking sled?

Seriously, Brian Westbrook wouldn't get "a first, two seconds, and a third, or perhaps more" in trade.

Headline of article: "Call me crazy, but it's time for Bears to trade Hester"

Okay, I'll bite: You're crazy.

Even if they wanted to trade Hester, what makes anyone with knowledge of the Bears' drafting history think the draft picks they would receive would be turned into high impact players on offense, where the Bears need help? This is the team that wasted the fourth overall pick a few years ago on Cedric Benson (and paid a huge amount of money for that epic bust).

As the saying goes, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Hester is worth a lot more than two in the bush (or Reggie Bush).

The Herschel Walker trade by the Cowboys was so great because the Cowboys turned the draft pick haul into numerous outstanding contributors. A few years before that, however, the Rams similarly received a number of high draft picks for Eric Dickerson, but the Rams largely wasted those picks on players who had little impact.

In any event, Hester has reported to training camp, and I think the two sides will work out a new contract in the near future.

If someone offered the Bears even close to that package, they'd be stupid not to take it, right?

I really don't know that any deal with Devin Hester could get done. Most of the "good" teams don't rely enough on special teams to justify sending more than 1 first rounder to the bears for him. On the other side of things, the Bears rely so much on Defense/Special Teams production to get wins, that a simple first rounder for Hester is probably too little to replace the value they'd lose.

The only possible trade I can see is for a team that is like the Bears, with a good defense and a struggling offense who thinks that upgrading their special teams might put them in the playoffs. So... Tennessee? Baltimore? Minnesota? Would any of these teams give up a first and 2 seconds for Hester? Baltimore might not even be able to pay him even they traded for him, so there's that as well.

Are there 10 non-QBs in the league worth what Pompei is talking about...much less a Devin Hester?

What's next? Pompei proposes Chicago trades Kyle Orton's neckbeard for a 2nd, a 5th, a case of Jack and a box of condoms for the Sex Cannon?

I think the Vikings should trade Tavaris Jackson for every first round pick their trade partner has for the rest of the century. Call me crazy.

spam-word: doofus.

The primary misconception of the Bears front office comes in this little justifying statement: "... and before he has shown what he cannot do as a wide receiver."

The Bears front office won't believe that he's not capable of being a WR. They drink their own Kool-Aid.

“Call me crazy, but it’s time for Bears to trade Hester”

Surely the rest of that headline should read "straight up for Favre".

Even ROBO-RETURNMAN isn't worth that much unless he can play another position. Teams can always keep the ball out of his hands.

Maybe he's just devaluing high draft picks based on their expected value when chosen by current management.

Minor point- Mel Gray was not the only one who had a sustained career in the return game. Brian Mitchell was excellent and sometimes dominant for more than a decade. A borderline HOF IMHO.

"Surely the rest of that headline should read 'straight up for Favre'."

Hmmm . . . why wouldn't that trade make both teams better? Isn't Ted Thompson smart/arrogant enough to think that GB is thiiiisss close to the SB that Hester could put them over the top. And that the Pack are so far ahead of Chicago that the Bears pose no threat to the Packers, even (especially?) with Favre?

Conversely, Hester isn't going to win as many games for the Bears as Favre would, and I could see Chi-management convincing themselves that Favre will make the Bears RB, O-Line, and WRs that much better. Even enough to get to the playoffs.

Hmmm . . .

I'm for the Hester for Favre deal, although I think the Bears should get a pick too.

I just go back to my point that Hester has the most value to a defensive oriented team like the Bears.

It is like having a team run oriented offense having a stud receiver that is bored because he doesn't see the ball or a zone defense team with a stud corner that can play man but is bored of covering his plot of land. Hester should get more punts and pick up more important field position.

Hester has the most value to a team like Chicago, Jaxsonville, SD or some other team with a solid D.

I don't think building an NFL franchise works like the stock market. You don't see the Colts or Pats accepting 5 first round picks for Tom Brady or Peyton Manning because to sell high because you develop a synergy from having the same ( winning) parts together for years.

I understand that Hester could never have the impact of a successful QB, but he is in a perfect situation and there is no reason to trade the guy. Just pay him market value and make him happy. The guy should probably get a contract at least similar to what Antwain Randel El got in Washington.

Re #13
Gray was a better returner than Mitchell, in terms of both peak and career value. Mitchell was a better player on offense, though (Gray's non-return value was minimal). I don't think either is anywhere close to the Hall of Fame.

B-Mitch also had value for being an emergency quarterback. A team could save a roster spot on a 3rd QB and keep another backup ( say LB) who could therefore be another special teams asset.

How do you guys feel about a team keeping a kick off specialist as well as a more accurate FG kicker?

If you have a kicker that can consistantly kick the ball off say 10-15 yards deeper with more hang time, he has value. These guys can also generally be used for long FG attempts of game/half.

When I see some of these kickers kick off and the ball lands at the 15 yard line, I just see it as so wastefull. It is such an easy problem to correct where they can pick up some boot legged guy off the street to kick the ball off to the goal line and possible save 10 yards per kick off. If a team kicks off 6 times per game... do the math.

For the sake of argument, let's say Hester's ability will peak at some point in the next five years. And let's say it takes at least two years to become a competent NFL QB, and since the Bears don't have anyone currently on the roster they can develop into a competent NFL QB (unless you have a lot of faith in a pair of UFAs), that process won't start for at least another year.

So, that is, at best, two years of Hester at his peak on a team with a competent offense. Of course, this assumes 1) the Bears find some WRs, 2) the find a QB and 3) the aging defense doesn't simply collapse in the interim. From that perspective, trading Hester now isn't a bad idea because the Bears likely won't be in any position to take full advantage of his talents. They'll never in a million years get what Pompeii is proposing, but for a team that thinks it's just a piece or two away -- how much more dangerous could Dallas, Green Bay or Philadelphia be with Hester? -- it could be a reasonable risk to take. And hey, in a league with Daniel Snyder and Al Davis throwing money around like Pacman, sorry, ADAM Jones at Spearmint Rhino, it could happen. In fact, if I'm Andy Reid, I'm on the phone right now.

when will Devin Hester ever have more value than he has now?
He's the definition of margin of error in the NFL. Send that trifecta game to just one GM...
And now, your new starting X for the Deeee-troit Lions...Devin Hester!
Said Mr Millen "what could possibly go wrong?"

The Eagles punt returner lost the first game of the year to Green Bay alone because of a fumble on a muffed punt that turned into a GB TD, and a fumble at the end of the game. Just a guy fair catching the ball would have won the game for the Birds. The Eagles were under normal circumstances 2 games better than their record indicated.

Why do you insist that Grossman or Bradley can't ever be worth a darn?

Why do people think that Hester's trade value is contingent on his becoming a starting WR? As the '07 and '08 PFP show, Hester as a return man is incredibly valuable in terms of field position. That alone is worth something substantial. I'd like to think that teams view Hester as a once-in-a-lifetime returner who may provide some long plays in limited duty on offense and can otherwise be used as a decoy. That's worth something -- not that laundry list of draft picks Pompei recites, but something.

By the way, Pompei is usually a pretty insightful football writer. I'd like to think that list of draft picks came from somewhere other than the recesses of his own brain.

Leave Jax out of this. Jax prizes their second round picks. Of course, I don't know that I would trade that daft raft of draft (!) picks for any non-QB, unless Tony Boselli happened again, AND he still had many seasons to play.