On Friday, Matt Forte appeared on NFL Total Access and stated he was prepared to move on if the Chicago Bears did not offer him a new contract. Matt also indicated he has not received any type of offer of a contract extension from the Bears.
Should the Bears offer Forte an new deal or let him test free agency? It’s not an easy decision for the Bears. Forte will be crossing the 30-year old threshold in a few days and many suggest that age is the death knell for a running back. Regardless of his stellar career, how much long can Forte keep going?
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The Bears have also seen a preview of what Jeremy Langford and Ka’Deem Carey can do, so that in a way makes Forte even more expendable. Sure having Matt back for one more season would be a good thing and really no downside but at what price is he worth keeping?
When looking at the numbers, this season Forte will get $7.05 million. I think we can all agree that kind of number going forward is not in the cards. What is a good and fair number? The only comparable running back like Forte over 30 is Frank Gore. He is making $4.5 million with the Colts this season. The bulk of his deal, $3.5 million, was a roster bonus.
Is that a reasonable number? Or something structured close to it? That appears to be a long shot.
The reality is we as Bears fans and Forte himself have to accept he is in his final year as a Bear. If he is offered anything from Ryan Pace, he should not be expecting anything beyond a year nor any kind of big money offer. The interesting aspect of all this is the perception on how the Bears front office deals with a split. We have seen in the past how the organization has treated distinguished Bears- properly or improperly is a matter of perception only.
The next five games will be the tipping point for Forte, but we all have to acknowledge is that we probably are seeing the end of the Forte era.
Nov 22, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver Marquess Wilson (10) tries to go around Denver Broncos strong safety T.J. Ward (43) during the first half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
Other news:
Marquess Wilson will miss the San Francisco 49ers game due to a foot injury sustained in practice. Look for Marc Mariani and Josh Bellamy to see more targets.
It’s Kyle Long’s birthday today! Happy birthday to Kyle.
Congratulations to Matt Forte and his wife on their new son being born.
A couple links: