Devin Hester will be given another chance to be ridiculous. The NFL's greatest return man of all time is reportedly signing a contract with the Ravens.
ESPN's Adam Schefter first reported the news and The Baltimore Sun confirmed that report. It's reportedly a one-year deal for the former Bears and Falcons returner/receiver.
Hester, 33, owns the NFL record for return touchdowns (20) and punt-return touchdowns (14). He spent the first eight years of his career with the Bears, before signing with the Falcons for the 2014 season. Due to a toe injury, he appeared in just five games last year. The Falcons then released him following the season.
As a receiver, Hester's caught 255 passes for 3,311 yards and 16 touchdowns. At one point in his career, he even served as Jay Cutler's No. 1 receiver, at least in terms of the depth chart.
But this signing isn't about Hester's so-so receiver abilities. It's about his ability to solve the Ravens' return game woes.
The Baltimore Sun's Jeff Zrebiec explained:
The Ravens have struggled all summer to find a return man. They used three players to return punts in the preseason and seven guys got game repetitions at kick returner.
Third-year wide receiver Michael Campanaro, the presumed favorite for the primary return job, was placed on injured reserve Saturday with a calf strain. The Ravens also yesterday cut sixth-round pick and former Navy quarterback Keenan Reynolds after he struggled in the role for much of the summer
It's worth pointing out that Hester has recorded just two return touchdowns since the 2012 season. Then again, he once truly was ridiculous.
