Hester intends to be more productive
BOURBONNAIS - Devin Hester doesn't think it's asking too much of him to be the team's go-to wide receiver and to recapture his magic touch as a punt returner.
"It's what I'm here for; it's what I get paid for," Hester said. "God blessed me with max ability to go out and do the things that I'm capable of doing, and I want to go out and excel as the receiver and the punt returner this year."
Last year, his second as a receiver, Hester led all Bears wideouts with 51 catches and 665 yards, but his punt-return average dropped from 15.5 yards to 6.2. His 11 combined kick-return touchdowns (7 punts and 4 kickoffs) are just 2 shy of Brian Mitchell's NFL career record.
"This is a big season for me," he said. "Hopefully I can do good at both. I'm 2 shy of the record, so that's a goal in the back of my mind, (and) to just go out and be a complete receiver."
But Hester does believe last year's focus on playing wide receiver hindered his production as a returner.
"I would say it took a toll on me as far as me just really trying to get my foot wet at the receiver spot," he said. "It was a learning process for me last year. But now I have a year up under my belt as a receiver, and this year we're looking for bigger and better things."
Weighty issue: Nose tackle Marcus Harrison, who needs to shed about 15 pounds to get to his assigned playing weight of 309 before he can join his teammates at practice, did individual work on the side.
Coach Lovie Smith said he isn't sure how long Harrison will be out.
"I'm disappointed that Marcus isn't out there with his teammates," Smith said. "This wasn't a part of the plan, but he'll do his work and, as you can see, he's working hard to get back in shape. I know he'll do it. But in the mean time, our team has to move on. Anthony Adams and Dusty Dvoracek are good football players, and when he comes we'll welcome him back then."
Adams and Dvoracek split time with the first team Friday at nose tackle. Dvoracek started 12 games last season and Adams four, but Harrison was expected to contend for the starting job.
"This might be the first time we've gone through something like this since Lovie has been here," Bears GM Jerry Angelo said. "But (Harrison) works hard on the field and when he's in the weight room. He just kind of let himself go. He's not healthy enough to be out here. He'll get it under control, and we'll get him back out here."
Bumps and bruises: Starting free safety Danieal Manning sat out most of practice with what he said was a "hamstring cramp," but which coach Lovie Smith referred to as "a little soreness in his calf."
Either way, it isn't considered a serious injury, although, in addition to his promotion from nickel back, Manning is also the NFL's reigning kickoff-return leader. Cornerback Trumaine McBride was briefly shaken up after a collision with safety Josh Bullocks and wide receiver Johnny Knox but returned to action.
A leg up: Free-agent punter Richmond McGee signed Friday, essentially to take some of the training camp workload off 13-year veteran Brad Maynard, whose 40 punts inside the 20-yard line last season were the second most in the NFL since 1976 when that became an official statistic.