Chicago Bears wide receivers coach Darryl Drake on Sunday defended Devin Hester's role in the offense after the team drafted South Carolina wideout Alshon Jeffery in the second round of the NFL draft, according to ESPN Chicago.
"I promise you Devin's not reading press clippings about Alshon Jeffery," Drake said. "Devin Hester don't give a crap. He's gonna go out there and play."
The Bears' coaching staff has spent the weekend refuting speculation that the electric kick returner's role in the offense would be diminished with the team's depth at wide receiver.
Chicago traded for Miami Dolphins wideout Brandon Marshall in March.
"The talent has always been there (for Hester)," Drake said. "It's just a matter of not having him play 70 plays a game and throw to him twice."
The Bears, however, are very high on Jeffery, possibly setting up a training camp battle with Hester as the team's third receiver.
"He's going to have the ability for us to make plays," Tice said of Jeffery, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. "You can tell that he's going to be a playmaker for the Bears for 2012, and hopefully for many years to come."
Tice recently beat back speculation that Hester would no longer be an every-down receiver in Chicago.
"Devin is going to be on the field," Tice told the Sun-Times. "If he's not on the field, then they should fire me."
Special teams coordinator Dave Toub also reiterated that Hester is the team's top kickoff returner after the team signed free agents Eric Weems and Devin Thomas to help return kicks