"It's tough on me. I don't even like going outside now," Hester said Wednesday. "I just want to find that edge and overcome it."

Hester was asked if he has lost his confidence. Danieal Manning replaced him on kickoffs during the fourth quarter of Sunday's loss to the Packers.

"I haven't lost any confidence," Hester said. "I'm the type when I get my opportunity, I'm going to make the most of it."

Hester entered the season with 12 career returns for touchdowns, including a 108-yard return of a missed field goal and kickoff returns of 96 and 94 yards at St. Louis two seasons ago. His longest return this season is 51 yards.

"It just hasn't gone the way I thought it would," Hester said. "I could say it's my fault, but there are 11 guys on the field. [Still,] I know at the end of the day, I'll get blamed for the return game."

Metcalf returns

Bears guard Terrence Metcalf returned to practice Wednesday for the first time since serving a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's policy on steroids and related substances.

Metcalf said he used the diet pill Phentermine, one of 11 generic stimulants banned in the policy. "It was something I didn't know about," Metcalf said. "I just decided to go ahead and accept the suspension. I had no clue. And I had not taken it before. But stuff like that happens."