"With news of his absence from training camp blaring from a sports talk station in the background, Devin Hester said he's prepared to dig in for the long haul.

As in the entire 2008 season.

The most dynamic return man in NFL history -- and a guy who would have run with the first team at wide receiver had he attended the Bears' first practice Wednesday -- wants more money. And he's ready to call general manager Jerry Angelo's bluff that the organization will not negotiate with players who are AWOL.

''That's what they said to get me to start coming to OTAs,'' Hester told the Sun-Times on Wednesday. ''It's time for me to take a stand. We're going to stand by our decision to do this, and we feel like this can go down to whenever in the season or the end of the season. No matter what.''

Perhaps Hester was tuned into the radio to gauge public reaction to a decision that stunned the Bears.

''I would say 95 percent of Chicago fans are saying why not reward a player that's been here two years and has contributed to the team in the ways I have,'' he said.

Angelo spoke with Hester's agent, Eugene Parker, on Monday, when Parker floated the idea that Hester might boycott camp. The Bears didn't take the suggestion seriously, but they are now after placing Hester on the reserved-did not report list. Parker did not return calls seeking comment.

''Usually when you say, 'Hey, it's over, take it or leave it, we're out of money,' you might get a reaction like that,'' Angelo said. ''But as you're continuing on in negotiations as we have been, it is surprising.

''We did tell Devin we were going to address his situation, and we have. That's where it is. The timing of it maybe wasn't satisfactory to him, but again, those things just kind of run their course.''

Hester said he felt like he didn't have any other choice after he watched the team hand extensions to Brian Urlacher, Tommie Harris, Robbie Gould, Desmond Clark and Kyle Orton and re-sign Lance Briggs and Rex Grossman.

''I feel like I should have been one of the top guys rewarded after the two seasons I had,'' he said. ''Now, I'm the last guy.

''I was not getting anywhere [in negotiations], and it was a big risk for me going out there and possibly being hurt. I couldn't do that. It wasn't a tough decision for me to make. Me and my agent agreed during OTAs [after he skipped some of the offseason program] for me to come back, and then they would start negotiating with it. That hasn't been done yet, and we have to make a statement: We're willing to do whatever it takes to get paid.''

Hester signed a four-year, $2.88 million contract as a second-round draft pick in 2006. He's scheduled to earn $445,000 this season and $530,000 in 2009. The Bears will not be able to pursue him for a portion of his signing bonus for being in default of his contract because there was none. His bonus money was tied to an option bonus.

However, as profootballtalk.com reported, the deadline for players under contract to report and earn a season of credit toward free agency is Aug. 5. Hester would jeopardize that by going beyond that date, but he sounded like he was willing to go to any length to be compensated.

''For me to be being paid as much as players on other teams who are sixth- and seventh-round picks who haven't played a snap. ...'' Hester said. ''They're getting paid the same amount as me after the two years I've had. I felt like it was time for a change. It isn't fair.''"