Hester looks to Pro Bowl future

The Bears' Devin Hester was a no-brainer Pro Bowl pick as a return specialist in each of his first two seasons, but he's got loftier ambitions.

"Hopefully it's going to be 10 in a row," Hester said. "That's where I want it to go. Just be consistent with my game and try to get better each year."

Hester added wide receiver to his job description this season, and he has made strides in recent weeks with half of his 18 catches in the last two weeks. He has shown bright enough flashes at wide receiver to indicate he could some day be voted to the Pro Bowl at that position.

"Oh, yes, I've thought about it," he said. "I think I'm gradually getting better. I don't feel I'm a complete receiver right now, (but) I'm improving with each game."

After catching just 1 pass in the first five games, Hester has at least 1 reception in eight of the last nine games.

"I think he's taken some steps to becoming maybe a full-time guy where we're talking about Devin Hester the receiver rather than Devin Hester the Pro Bowl kick returner," coach Lovie Smith said.

"He's made big strides to becoming a better receiver, and in time that's what I see him being, an every-down wide receiver doing the same type of special things once he gets his hands on the football as a receiver."

Something special: Brendon Ayanbadejo's second straight selection to the Pro Bowl for his special-teams coverage provides job security for the free-agent-to-be, even if it's not necessarily with the Bears.

"I don't have a contract (for 2008), but it solidifies my future," he said. "Not at any particular place, but it gives me a lot of leverage to go and bargain with."

Ayanbadejo would prefer to continue the work he and his special-teams partners have done with the Bears.

"I feel like I'm a part of the legacy here and what this special-teams unit here has done," he said. "If I left, I don't know if I'd be the same player somewhere else. It says a lot about the players that are around me. I want to be here, but it's not up to me."

Bottom line: For the first time since the 2001 season, center Olin Kreutz wasn't voted to the Pro Bowl in his home state of Hawaii, and he had a simple explanation.

"I just didn't play good enough to make it this time," Kreutz said. "If you don't play good enough, then you don't go to the Pro Bowl."

Injury update: Return specialist Devin Hester (shin) and linebacker Rod Wilson (quad) returned to full practice Thursday, and defensive tackle Darwin Walker (elbow) was limited.

But defensive end Mark Anderson (knee), linebacker Lance Briggs (hip), quarterback Rex Grossman (knee), defensive tackle Tommie Harris (knee) and cornerback Nate Vasher (knee) all missed a second straight day of practice.

Anderson and Grossman aren't expected to play, while the others should be available.