Associated Press

Devin Hester Reportedly to Sign with Baltimore Ravens

Mike Chiari

All-time great return man Devin Hester has reportedly found a new home in the NFL after the Atlanta Falcons released him on July 26

Continue for updates.


Hester Reportedly Joins the Ravens

Sunday, Sept. 4

ESPN.com's Adam Schefter, citing a league source, reported that Hester and the Baltimore Ravens had agreed to a one-year contract that Hester will sign on Sunday.


Hester Posts Training Video

Wednesday, Aug. 24 


Hester Comments on Pursuit of Next NFL Team

Tuesday, Aug. 23 

"I can't say much now, but I'm getting close," Hester said, per TMZ Sports. "[I] got 14 teams waiting on me."


Hester Waiting to Recover from Injury Before Signing 

Saturday, July 30

ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure reported Hester wants to wait until he is fully healed from toe surgery before signing, and while he does want to continue playing, retirement is a possibility if he doesn't make progress in the coming months.

"Teams already have tried to sign me, but I'm not ready to go," he said. "We told teams that I'm not ready to practice, still rehabbing. ... If I'm not healthy enough to play by October, I'm going to retire."

Per McClure, Hester believes he is making progress despite his return taking longer than initially anticipated:

Some of the ligaments are still not healed up all the way. It's getting better now. [Running] straight ahead, I'm good. It's just when I start going lateral, my toe flares up. It's going to take time with that. I don't know if it's going to be a two-week process or three or maybe four. And I told [the Falcons] that. And I told them I wasn't signing the paper saying I was ready to play.

It's a business. I understand that. The healing process was supposed to be four to six months. It's been longer than what we expected.


Veteran Hester May Still Be Able to Contribute to Team

The 33-year-old Hester is set to enter his 11th NFL season, and he will do so as the career leader in return touchdowns, with 20.

The former Miami Hurricanes standout was limited to just five games last season and was largely ineffective when he did play. He failed to score a return touchdown for the first time since 2012.

Hester is a four-time Pro Bowler who did his best work during an eight-year stint with the Chicago Bears. He told McClure he would like to retire as a member of the Bears.

It's possible that Hester has lost much of his explosiveness and dynamism, but he did have a Pro Bowl season for the Falcons in 2014, so he isn't far removed from being elite.

Hester also has some experience at the wide receiver position with 255 receptions for 3,311 yards and 16 receiving touchdowns to his credit. He has the ability to be a difference-maker in two different phases of the game when healthy.

    

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.

   

Read 0 Comments

Download the app for comments Get the B/R app to join the conversation

Install the App
×
Bleacher Report
(120K+)