[News] Ravens Agree To Terms With Veteran Returner Devin Hester

[BR News]

The Ravens have reportedly reached a deal with one of the most prolific return men in NFL history.

View the full article

[boconnor]

What was the corresponding roster move?

[JimmyBlack]

What was the corresponding roster move?

Maybe Pitta will be a game day scratch due to the lingering finger injury?

[stixfix69]

What was the corresponding roster move?

Better question is why give him a contract that could be worth up to 4 mil????

[RavensBaltimore]

  11 minutes ago, boconnor said:

What was the corresponding roster move?

Maybe Pitta will be a game day scratch due to the lingering finger injury?

No, Pitta would still take up a roster spot unless he went on IR or was cut.

[Ravenous_Ravens]

This smells of desperation. Hope it works out. The price of up to $4 mil for one year as a PR specialist is ridiculous. Also who is out because of this move?

[hen826957]

This smells of desperation. Hope it works out. The price of up to $4 mil for one year as a PR specialist is ridiculous. Also who is out because of this move?

Yeah 4M for 1 year for just a PR is a lot while Justin Forsett only had a 3 year 9 million contract and was cut. But l hope they resign Forsett or even look at Ronnie Hillman.

[mc_red23]

How is that contract deemed as being value for money? $4m for a return guy? Crazy! 

[designermaryland]

I would not have minded picking this guy up on the cheap, but this does not seem like a wise allocation of funds. The veteran free agent contracts in recent years are getting sloppy and every one of these costly moves (Pitta, Webb, Ngata, Evans, etc.) are really preventing the team from picking up every down players. How many snaps will Hester be on the field? 8 a game? Why are they wasting money there, when a quality LB or CB would play 30 snaps or more.

[bioLarzen]

  1 hour ago, boconnor said:

What was the corresponding roster move?

Maybe Pitta will be a game day scratch due to the lingering finger injury?

A gameday scratch is not a roster move. Cutting someone from the roster is a roster move ;)

[b93333]

Costly move with little upside. Reminds me of the Ben Watson signing.

[harfordravenfan]

Would definitely be interesting to see the escalators of that contract and or if there is an injury clause in it

[law215]

I think Moore or Young could have done the job. Ravens are willing to spend up to $4M for a return specialist in a league that is trying to eliminate returns. Now they will probably try to low ball Brandon Williams's contract. This may explain why Foresett was cut to free up money for Hester and try to resign Foresett at a lower price. Hope he produces and stays healthy.

[purpledown]

At 75% Hester is better than what we have.

[GeeWallee]

I'm not sure why people are clamoring about signing Ronnie Hillman. Do you think that Elway and Kubiak don't know what they are doing ? He is talented , but injury and mistake prone. Just like a Player we put on IR.
I was against Hester's signing, simply because he is a 'One Trick Pony' and that is as a RS. If he is truly healthy? He may be worth that lone spot.
They guys we put out there didn't get it done and so why make believe that it was going to work.
I still think Hester takes the spot Elam holds ( at the moment ) and Forsett will take one other spot.
This is the first time that I've seen the FO try and protect all of the younger Players that were available for Waivers.They protected them from being available.....which is wise.
We are getting younger and need to keep our own.

Edited September 5, 2016 by GeeWallee

[ALSKAN RAVEN FAN]

Good signing Oz

[eL_Cam1n0]

All I can say about this signing is eww

[ellicottraven]

4M? Even with incentives that is steep. Were we really that desperate to get a kickoff and punt returner? Wouldn't that spot be better served by retaining Butler for millions less? He's proven himself, was home grown and would contribute positively to our team. Also, with the 25 yd rule now, all one had to really do was kneel in the end zone. Chris Moore and Dixon would prove more than adequate in that role and SSS and Webb would be more than happy to fair catch any punt. Just a few random thoughts...

[sami]

I'll bet Forsett could have run back punts and KO's good enough and saved us a few million. Then we could have afforded that guard from GB.

[sizzlingdoom]

All I can say about this signing is eww

that opinion will change. gauranteed

[sizzlingdoom]

  6 hours ago, boconnor said:

What was the corresponding roster move?

Better question is why give him a contract that could be worth up to 4 mil????

Up to 4 mill probably mean 2 Mill. I'm guessing he'll only make 4 if he fulfills some awesome incentives on the field. In case I say it's definitely worth it. Plus who cares about the cash for this year. We have some, why not use by upgrading the roster, as well as Huge ? at an important position.

[sizzlingdoom]

Good signing Oz

great signing

[sizzlingdoom]

Hester and Chris Moore returning kicks this year.....YES!

[sizzlingdoom]

At 75% Hester is better than what we have.

seriously though. And I bet he's closer to 85%

[sizzlingdoom]

Costly move with little upside. Reminds me of the Ben Watson signing.

LOL! Was that a joke? Both of those were excellent signings

[sizzlingdoom]

I would not have minded picking this guy up on the cheap, but this does not seem like a wise allocation of funds. The veteran free agent contracts in recent years are getting sloppy and every one of these costly moves (Pitta, Webb, Ngata, Evans, etc.) are really preventing the team from picking up every down players. How many snaps will Hester be on the field? 8 a game? Why are they wasting money there, when a quality LB or CB would play 30 snaps or more.

First of all, there is no wasting what so ever going on. We're most likely paying the best returner of all time 2 Mil a year. CMON MAN. Even if it's 3, who cares well worth it. The only way he's getting 4 is probably if he has 4 or 5 TDs or something, in which case he's way worth that. Second we are loaded at LB. We kept 7 corners, and it's not llike you can just go grab a good corner somewhere. Plus, listing Webb and Pitta in your reasoning does not work at all. They got injured. Nobody can predict that.
Most importantly, returner is a vital position. And before the signing it was by far the biggest ? on the team. Even with Camp around. Not only do we need somebody sure handed back there, but we need somebody that can swing field positions and make plays. And the front office, myself, and many others believe he is still very capable of doing that. Last time we were kicking butt in the return game, we won the Superbowl. Not to mention taking one back fo a TD in it that was the difference in the Ravens getting a ring that year. The return position is critical. I for one now know that when a kick is in the air, instead of cringing and being unsure about what's gonna happen, I'll be yelling "Hester Time Baby!!!" or something of that nature....haha

[bioLarzen]

  10 hours ago, designermaryland said:

I would not have minded picking this guy up on the cheap, but this does not seem like a wise allocation of funds. The veteran free agent contracts in recent years are getting sloppy and every one of these costly moves (Pitta, Webb, Ngata, Evans, etc.) are really preventing the team from picking up every down players. How many snaps will Hester be on the field? 8 a game? Why are they wasting money there, when a quality LB or CB would play 30 snaps or more.

First of all, there is no wasting what so ever going on. We're most likely paying the best returner of all time 2 Mil a year. CMON MAN. Even if it's 3, who cares well worth it. The only way he's getting 4 is probably if he has 4 or 5 TDs or something, in which case he's way worth that. Second we are loaded at LB. We kept 7 corners, and it's not llike you can just go grab a good corner somewhere. Plus, listing Webb and Pitta in your reasoning does not work at all. They got injured. Nobody can predict that.
Most importantly, returner is a vital position. And before the signing it was by far the biggest ? on the team. Even with Camp around. Not only do we need somebody sure handed back there, but we need somebody that can swing field positions and make plays. And the front office, myself, and many others believe he is still very capable of doing that. Last time we were kicking butt in the return game, we won the Superbowl. Not to mention taking one back fo a TD in it that was the difference in the Ravens getting a ring that year. The return position is critical. I for one now know that when a kick is in the air, instead of cringing and being unsure about what's gonna happen, I'll be yelling "Hester Time Baby!!!" or something of that nature....haha

Also, it says the contract is worth UP TO 4 mil. It means it's the theoretical ceiling, probably containing incentives and conditional portions - which means there's good chance it'll be even less at the end...

[MYTH420]

4M? Even with incentives that is steep. Were we really that desperate to get a kickoff and punt returner? Wouldn't that spot be better served by retaining Butler for millions less? He's proven himself, was home grown and would contribute positively to our team. Also, with the 25 yd rule now, all one had to really do was kneel in the end zone. Chris Moore and Dixon would prove more than adequate in that role and SSS and Webb would be more than happy to fair catch any punt. Just a few random thoughts...

I agree, even though the money is misleading, it's not the issue. Hester is old and coming off toe surgery. I would have been happy with Moore returning kicks and Dixon as well when he's healthy. Use that roster spot elsewhere. I don't hate the signing, but I wouldn't have done it.

[whobilly]

  8 hours ago, ellicottraven said:

4M? Even with incentives that is steep. Were we really that desperate to get a kickoff and punt returner? Wouldn't that spot be better served by retaining Butler for millions less? He's proven himself, was home grown and would contribute positively to our team. Also, with the 25 yd rule now, all one had to really do was kneel in the end zone. Chris Moore and Dixon would prove more than adequate in that role and SSS and Webb would be more than happy to fair catch any punt. Just a few random thoughts...

I agree, even though the money is misleading, it's not the issue. Hester is old and coming off toe surgery. I would have been happy with Moore returning kicks and Dixon as well when he's healthy. Use that roster spot elsewhere. I don't hate the signing, but I wouldn't have done it.

Agree. In todays NFL with the majority of punts and kickoffs producing fair catches and touchbacks he will get a chance to make about 25 plays for the season provided he stays healthy. Granted a few of those plays can turn a game around but this is the Atlanta version of Hester and not the Bears version.

[ellicottraven]

1 hour ago, bioLarzen said:

Also, it says the contract is worth UP TO 4 mil. It means it's the theoretical ceiling, probably containing incentives and conditional portions - which means there's good chance it'll be even less at the end...

But you seriously don't want it to be less right because you want him to perform and earn all those incentives! Otherwise what's the point?