The Atlanta Falcons have been able to squeeze some life out of Devin Hester as a wide receiver, when the Chicago Bears placed him on moth balls for the 2013 season.
“When Devin signed here, I was thinking Chicago didn’t use him, (how) are we going to use him,” Falcons offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter said.
After studying Hester on film, Cincinnati head coach Marvin Lewis credited assistant head coach/wide receivers Terry Robiskie with getting ready for the season.
After he was signed in free agency, at the urging of head coach Mike Smith, Koetter and Robiskie came up with a plan to get Hester integrated into the offense.
The move might pay extra dividends this week as Harry Douglas, who returned to practice on Wednesday, is slowed by a foot injury in the Tampa Bay game.
But after the plan was devised, Hester should receive the credit for earning his playing time.
“Devin has totally earned everything that he’s got by how he practiced,” Koetter said. “It’s true of any player, but it just so happens that Devin is the greatest kick return in league history. Devin has earned it by studying, by fitting in and by making plays in practice.”
As the Falcons’ fourth receiver, Hester has seven catches for 126 yards and one rush for 20 yards and a touchdown.
“Devin is a way better route runner than I ever knew,” Koetter said. “We knew he had tremendous speed, but I never knew that he had that big of a catching radius, range and hands. It shows up in practice every day.”
Koetter doesn’t want to make it seem like the coaches have re-created the wheel by getting Hester involved as a wide receiver.
“Whether if its Julio Jones, Roddy White, Harry Douglas or Devin Hester, guys that show up in practice and make plays, you’re trying to figure out more ways to get it to them,” Koetter said.
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