Atlanta Falcons: Is Devin Hester worth keeping on the roster?
Injuries derailed Devin Hester‘s season in 2015. At 33-years-old, should the Atlanta Falcons keep him on the roster?
If Hester is fully healthy, the Falcons should absolutely keep him in house. It’s certainly understandable why an argument can be made to move on, but the risk is worth taking.
After all, at 33, Hester isn’t the same player he was five or six years ago. It’s very difficult to maintain the same explosiveness and speed at his age, particularly at a position where those traits are so important.
Another case against keeping him around would be the new kickoffs rule. A touchback from a kickoff now results in the ball being spotted at the 25-yard line as opposed to the 20. On the surface this sounds like a move that will result in more returners happy to watch the ball get booted out of the end zone. That’s what the NFL wants in this player safety era.
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Yet it could have the opposite effect. Teams don’t want to allow their opponents to begin their drive at the 25-yard line for free. It’s possible, and in fact likely, we’ll see kickers attempt to chip the ball high in the air and drop at around the 1-yard line, forcing returners to take it out.
Kickers are talented enough to ensure there is a long hang time in the air for the kickoff coverage to make their way downfield and prevent the returner from reaching the 25. The new rule may in fact result in more kicks being returned than before.
That’s where Hester comes in. Whether he’s the same player he was in 2010 or not, when healthy he’s still one of the best in the league at what he does. Hester’s ability to find space and burst past defenders makes him so tough to cover.
Teams often attempt to keep the ball out of Hester’s hands, but one of the only effective ways to do this would be to send it out of the end zone. This would give Atlanta the ball at the 25. Win win.
We saw in Hester’s first season with the Falcons that he can still make great plays. We were unable to see it last year as he dealt with a toe injury.
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The Falcons may have drafted return specialist Devin Fuller, but his time fielding kicks will have to come on another day. If Hester is fully healthy, he’s the best option for Atlanta entering the 2016 season.
With a modest cap hit of just $3.83 million, keeping Hester in house is worth the risk.