Devin Hester - Pro Football Rumors

Devin Hester Almost Back To Full Health

August 24th, 2016 at 10:40am CST by Zachary Links

Free agent Devin Hester is letting every team in the league know that he is almost recovered from offseason toe surgery. The veteran posted an Instagram video from his workout on Wednesday morning with the intent of showing that he is mostly healthy, as ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure writes.

Hester was cut loose by the Falcons late last month. Soon after, it was reported that the 33-year-old was drawing interest from at least seven teams, though the names of those teams were not disclosed.

Hester joined the Falcons prior to the 2014 season and enjoyed his fourth Pro Bowl berth – his first since 2010. Hester returned 45 kicks for 1,128 yards and 18 punts for 240 yards, showing that he was still dangerous in the return game. Unfortunately, he missed all but five games last season because of his bothersome toe. It remains to be seen whether Hester will continue his NFL journey and build on his NFL record in return touchdowns (20) and punt return touchdowns (14).

The veteran has said that he will not sign until he is back to 100% health. Today’s demonstration could be an indication that he’ll land somewhere soon, assuming that he really does have seven or more teams with interest.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Extra Points: Hester, White, Bennett, Coughlin

July 30th, 2016 at 12:31pm CST by Ben Levine

Some assorted notes from around the NFL on this Saturday afternoon…

Devin Hester is hoping to play one more season in the NFL, and the return man told ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure that several teams have already reached out. “Teams already have tried to sign me, but I’m not ready to go,” Hester said. “We told teams that I’m not ready to practice, still rehabbing.” The 33-year-old is still recovering from offseason toe surgery. Hester was released by the Falcons earlier this week.
Roddy White isn’t looking to sign a minimum-salary contract for 2016, writes Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com. The 34-year-old is still on the Titans “radar,” even after the team signed veteran wideout Andre Johnson. If things don’t work out with the former Texans star, Florio notes that the Titans could make a harder push for White.
Florio also adds the Buccaneers to the list of potential landing spots for White. The writer cites the receiver’s relationship with head coach Dirk Koetter, who was previously the Falcons offensive coordinator.
With reports surrounding Michael Bennett‘s apparent dissatisfaction with his contract, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets that the defensive end “is in town” for the first day of Seahawks training camp. Earlier this week, it was reported that the two sides would meet to discuss the 30-year-old’s contract.
Following news that former coach Tom Coughlin would be joining the NFL’s football operations department, Florio has details on the role. Coughlin will serve as a “senior advisor,” working alongside executive V.P. of football operations Troy Vincent and participating in “all game-related committees.” The 69-year-old will also provide “strategic guidance” on the draft and the Pro Bowl.

NFC South Notes: Saints, Brees, Falcons, Bucs

July 28th, 2016 at 6:23pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

While extension talks between the Saints and future Hall of Famer Drew Brees haven’t yielded progress yet, the contract-year quarterback said Thursday that he harbors no ill will toward general manager Mickey Loomis (via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk). “Just to clarify, nothing is adversarial. I have a great relationship with Mickey Loomis and have for my entire time here,” stated Brees. “We’ll see how this shakes out over the next month and a half.”

Brees reiterated Thursday that the start of the regular season is his deadline for contract negotiations, so the two sides won’t talk again until the end of the campaign if they don’t reach an agreement by Week 1. To place the franchise tag on Brees next offseason would cost the Saints $43.2MM, so that probably won’t be an option. The only choice, then, would be a multiyear deal, and Brees, 37, believes he’s capable of lasting for a while longer. “I don’t see any reason why I can’t play at the highest level for the next five years minimum,” commented Brees, who threw for 4,870 yards and 32 touchdowns against 11 interceptions in 2015.

Roddy White, Devin Hester Plan To Play In 2016

July 26th, 2016 at 10:37am CST by Zachary Links

Recently-released return man Devin Hester has no plans on retiring, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. Same goes for former Falcons wide receiver Roddy White who is “in contact with a few teams” and wants to play in 2016.

Last month, White indicated that he wanted to continue playing, but he also said that he would only suit up for a contender. It’s not clear at this time if White is still holding out for a team that can win a ring in 2016.

“When my agent and I went down the list and I saw the teams that really needed wide receivers, I was like, ‘Wow, I really don’t want to go there,’” White said. “I knew I couldn’t win with any of those teams. At this point of my career, I don’t want to be dragging my feet in Week 13 just to have an opportunity to be 4-10 next week.”

White, 34, made four Pro Bowls and was a first-team All-Pro in 2010, when he caught a career-high 110 passes for 1,389 yards and 10 touchdowns. Here at PFR, we listed White as an honorable mention when ranking the best players still available on the open market in May.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Falcons Release Devin Hester

July 26th, 2016 at 9:25am CST by Zachary Links

The Falcons announced that they have released wide receiver/return specialist Devin Hester.

Hester underwent toe surgery in January and is scheduled to earn $3MM in 2016, which made him a potential cap casualty. The 33-year-old Hester missed all but five games last season because of the issue and was pushing to make a full recovery this offseason. It would appear that the veteran has not bounced back in the way that Atlanta was hoping.

Hester joined the Falcons prior to the 2014 season and enjoyed his fourth Pro Bowl berth – his first since 2010. Hester returned 45 kicks for 1,128 yards and 18 punts for 240 yards, showing that he was still dangerous in the return game. It remains to be seen whether Hester will continue his NFL journey and build on his NFL record in return touchdowns (20) and punt return touchdowns (14).

With Hester out of the picture, Atlanta could turn to rookie wide receiver Devin Fuller, running back Tevin Coleman, or wide receiver Eric Weems to pick up the slack in the return game. As of this writing, the Falcons’ roster stands at 87 players.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NFC Notes: Bradford, Seahawks, Lions, Rams

May 3rd, 2016 at 11:32am CST by Luke Adams

Tom Condon, the agent for Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford, continues to make a case for a trade on behalf of his client, appearing most recently on Andrew Brandt’s “Business of Sports” podcast. Condon reiterated that Bradford won’t be in attendance when Philadelphia’s voluntary workouts resume, though the podcast was recorded prior to the draft, so it’s not clear if that stance has changed within the last few days.

“I know people say, ‘Why doesn’t he just compete and win the job?'” Condon said, as Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News details. “[But] there is no real competition. [Eagles No. 2 overall pick Carson Wentz] is playing, and that’s all there is to it.”

Although Wentz isn’t expected to start immediately, it would certainly be a surprise if the North Dakota State alum is not atop the Eagles’ depth chart by the start of the 2017 season, or even before then.

Here’s more from across the NFC:

Seahawks general manager John Schneider said during an appearance on KJR-AM today that his team prefers not to spread out Marshawn Lynch‘s cap hit over two years. As such, the team figures to place the running back on the reserve/retired list prior to June 1, ensuring that his cap charge only applies to 2016 (Twitter links via Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times).
With the draft completed, the Lions have made a couple changes to their personnel department, parting ways with veteran scouts Chad Henry and Darren Anderson, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. It’s not uncommon for teams with new general managers – like Detroit with Bob Quinn – to make changes to the scouting department following that new GM’s first draft.
Michael Silver of NFL.com took an interesting, in-depth look at how the Rams decided they wanted to make California quarterback Jared Goff their QB of the future.
Receiver and return man Devin Hester underwent toe surgery in January and is scheduled to earn $3MM in 2016, making his hold on a roster spot in Atlanta tenuous. Still, as Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com writes, Hester expects to remain with the Falcons and contribute to the team as long as he can make a full recovery.

Extra Points: Cowboys, Lynch, Jaguars, Falcons

April 30th, 2016 at 9:44pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Cowboys reportedly made an effort to trade back into the first round to take a shot at drafting quarterback Paxton Lynch, and though the club ultimately stayed put, Jerry Jones conveyed regret that Dallas didn’t make the deal. “I probably should have overpaid,” says Jones, according to Drew Davidson of the Fort Worth Star Telegram (Twitter link).

Here’s the latest on the draft as the undrafted free agent signing frenzy gets underway…

The Jaguars have a fifth-year option decision to make, as the club will have the choice of extending left tackle Luke Joeckel‘s contract through the 2017 season. Jacksonville GM Dave Caldwell says he’ll speak with Joeckel about the option on Monday, according to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (Twitter link).
“Heck no” was Falcons head coach Dan Quinn‘s response when asked if receiver Devin Hester had been cleared for any activity after undergoing toe surgery in January, reports Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. GM Thomas Dimitroff said in February that Atlanta will re-evaluate Hester’s status with the club when he’s fully healthy.
Pass rush was an area of need for the Colts, but the prospects that appealed to GM Ryan Grigson came off the board early, he tells Mike Chappelle of FOX59 (Twitter link), adding that Indianapolis wasn’t going to allow need to trump its board.

NFC Notes: Bears, Galette, Cards, Hester

March 26th, 2016 at 8:15pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Bears’ excellent cap situation (nearly $24MM in space) and the importance of having quality edge rushers are two reasons the team won’t release either Lamarr Houston or Willie Young, as Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times writes.

On Houston, who had a career-high eight sacks in 2015, general manager Ryan Pace said, ‘‘He came on strong. Luckily, we’re in a healthy cap situation, so we can [keep him on the roster].”

Houston’s $6.99MM cap hold is the Bears’ fourth-highest total for 2016, while the $3.17MM hit for Young (6.5 sacks last season) is more modest. One anonymous AFC executive opined last month that Houston was a candidate for the chopping block, but it now appears he’s safe.

Regarding Houston and Young, who combined for 12.5 sacks over the final nine games last season, head coach John Fox stated, “Obviously, I like those guys.”

The fact that Houston and Young seem to have the approval of Bears brass doesn’t mean the club will eschew pursuing more pass rushers via the draft, per Jahns. On the contrary, they’d like to add speed off the edge. Speed isn’t the strongest suit of Houston, Young or Pernell McPhee, Jahns notes.

In other NFC news…

Washington re-signed Junior Galette to a one-year deal because of the uncertainty surrounding Galette’s ability to re-emerge from the torn Achilles’ tendon that shelved him for the 2015 season, Tarik El-Bashir of CSNMidAtlantic.com. “Well, we’ve got to see, coming off an injury at any part of your body,” GM Scot McCloughan said. “But the Achilles for a guy’s explosion? It’s going to be interesting. That’s why the one-year deal from our standpoint made sense because, you know, does he still have the same twitch? Does he still have the same ability to get up field? I believe he does.” Galette’s contract doesn’t contain any guaranteed money. The 28-year-old pass-rusher notched 10 sacks for the Saints when last healthy in 2014, with current Washington edge-rushing counterpart Ryan Kerrigan registering a career-high 13.5 the same season.
Before agreeing to a deal with Tennessee on Friday, safety Rashad Johnson spent the first seven years of his NFL career in Arizona. If the 30-year-old had it his way, he’d still be a member of the Cardinals. Johnson told Zig Fracassi of Sirius-XM NFL Radio that he wanted to re-sign with the Cards, but they didn’t make him an offer (Twitter link).
The NFL’s decision to move touchbacks from the 20-yard line to the 25 next season should have an adverse effect on return men. Devin Hester, one of the all-time great returners, could be an exception. The Falcons might continue to turn him loose, according to head coach Dan Quinn. “There are special players like Dev and other returners around the league, they’ll still get green-lighted. Here’s a guy who is on the club for this unique reason,” Quinn told D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The 33-year-old Hester missed all but five games last season because of a toe injury, but he has since had surgery on it and is currently rehabbing.

Sam Robinson contributed to this post.

Extra Points: Saints, Carroll, Kaep, Texans

February 25th, 2016 at 9:08pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Saints head coach Sean Payton told NFL Network on Thursday that a contract extension for quarterback Drew Brees “will get done very easily,” per Christopher Dabe of NOLA.com. General manager Mickey Loomis said earlier this month that he wants to lock up Brees, whose deal expires after next season. Loomis also stated at the time that he and Tom Condon, Brees’ agent, hadn’t yet spoken about an extension. That changed at the combine, where Loomis and Condon met, according to Payton.

In a different interview, Payton told Pro Football Talk that offensive guard and the defensive front seven will be the Saints’ main concerns in free agency and the draft (Twitter link via Dabe). Earlier this month, the Saints cut guard Jahri Evans and two front seven defenders, linebackers David Hawthorne and Ramon Humber.

Other news from around the NFL:

Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll told the Los Angeles Times’ Gary Klein that he has no interest in returning to USC to become its athletic director (Twitter link). Carroll, of course, led USC to an 83-19 mark as its football coach from 2001-09.
Colin Kaepernick‘s contract – a middle-of-the-road deal for a quarterback – shouldn’t scare off possible suitors, writes Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap. If the 49ers do trade Kaepernick, which looks like a distinct possibility, Fitzgerald lists six teams as potential fits. He expects the Niners to seek a second-round pick in return.
The Texans have met with guard Brandon Brooks‘ representatives at the combine, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Brooks, a pending free agent, has started in each of his last 44 appearances.
The Falcons have not yet made any decisions regarding Devin Hester‘s status with the team, according to GM Thomas Dimitroff, who says that won’t happen until after Hester is fully recovered from his toe surgery (Twitter link via Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com).
The Saints ($42K), Broncos ($267K) and Rams ($1.245MM) opted against carrying over their full allotment of space from 2015, tweets Pro Football Talk. The Broncos’ motivation was to prevent other playoff teams from signing their practice squad players during the postseason, according to PFT’s Mike Florio. Each team has to make its call on carryover space at the end of the regular season. The Saints and Rams didn’t make the playoffs, so it’s currently unclear why they left their respective amounts behind. The list of all 32 clubs’ carryover totals can be found here.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Extra Points: Shula, Irvin, Falcons, Packers

January 19th, 2016 at 9:51pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Panthers offensive coordinator Mike Shula made it known during the head coaching hiring cycle that he wasn’t interested in taking interviews until Carolina’s playoff run was complete, preferring to focus on the task at hand. While it’s certainly an admirable approach, it may have cost him at least one job, as Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports that the Dolphins never reached out to Shula because they wanted to hire a head coach quickly. Miami did become the first franchise to hire a new HC, agreeing to terms with Adam Gase on January 9.

Here’s more from around the NFL:

Although Seahawks linebacker Bruce Irvin recently told the media that he’d be willing to accept less money to stay with the Seahawks, Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com isn’t necessarily buying it. Irvin is an Atlanta native, and the Falcons would be offering him a chance to reunite with ex-Seattle coordinator Dan Quinn. Plus, notes McClure, Atlanta has shown a willingness to spend on defensive acquisitions in the past.
In other Falcons news, receiver Devin Hester is set to face a three-to-six month recovery after undergoing toe surgery today, according to McClure. Hester, who missed 11 games in 2015 due to the injury, might miss some offseason work, but should be healthy by the start of the 2016 season.
The Packers and GM Ted Thompson are interested in Mississippi State linebacker Beniquez Brown, a source tells Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net. Brown is a potential third-round pick, in the estimation of Pauline.
CFL receiver Eric Rogers recently worked out for the Colts, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). This is Rogers’ third PFR mention today, so it’s clear that he’s getting attention around the league.