Forte is a Former All Pro and headed to Dallas?

[baselman1974]

Forte is an elite back is such a farce. Elite backs carry teams without any help from the O-line and QB. Payton had his best years in the 70's without Covert, Bortz, Thayer, Hilgenburg, and Van Horne. Payton took defenders with him to the end zone, blocked like a fortress, and was a good pass catcher. Also can throw the ball at times. Carried the offense in 1984 to NFC Championship game. Sayers had no help as well, but had 6 tads in one game, led league in rushing, etc. Eric Dickerson led league rushing multiple times carried his team. God help us if Dickerson had a QB that was actually good. Earl Campbell busted up players. Those are elite ribs. Forte is not even close to that.

 

[didshereallysaythat]

People overuse the word elite. It really takes away from its true meaning.

 

[ZenBear34]

Forte is an elite back is such a farce. Elite backs carry teams without any help from the O-line and QB. Payton had his best years in the 70's without Covert, Bortz, Thayer, Hilgenburg, and Van Horne. Payton took defenders with him to the end zone, blocked like a fortress, and was a good pass catcher. Also can throw the ball at times. Carried the offense in 1984 to NFC Championship game. Sayers had no help as well, but had 6 tads in one game, led league in rushing, etc. Eric Dickerson led league rushing multiple times carried his team. God help us if Dickerson had a QB that was actually good. Earl Campbell busted up players. Those are elite ribs. Forte is not even close to that.

well, i mean, i don't think anyone's saying he's, like, one of the 5 best backs in NFL history or anything like that. he's a very good back, borderline elite over the course of his career. he's never been the best back in the NFL, but he's probably hovered around 5-7 for most of his career. his ability as a pass catcher increases his value in a time when the passing game is far more valuable then the running game.

in the end, discussions like this are based on such arbitrary standards and subjective evaluations that they're pretty much meaningless. forte has been one of the best backs of the last 7 years. he's a consistent, productive, complete back who almost never gets hurt, comes off the field or fumbles the football. Is he elite? i don't know. i don't care. he was a great player for us and played on some terrible offense behind some terrible offensive lines.

the fact is today, he's heading quickly towards 30 and is almost certainly not going to be a bear after this season. i hope he has one more great year in him. he's at that age where he could fall off a cliff at any time. he could be productive for another 3 seasons, or he could be replaced by the end of this one.

 

[DJMoore_is_fat]

Always good to get rid of our best player

You don't watch football much, do you? Matt Forte is 43 years old. He'll be lucky to break 1000 yards rushing in a single season even one more time in his career.

 

[DJMoore_is_fat]

Hilarious that people want to extend Matt Forte. Forte will have maybe one good year left at the absolute most. You have OmlettePants pining for Coach Fox to "develop" guys like Matt Forte and Jay Ratliff lol.

Yes let's extend 46-year old Matt Forte and Jay Ratliff.

 

[Bearshomer]

Forte is an elite back is such a farce. Elite backs carry teams without any help from the O-line and QB. Payton had his best years in the 70's without Covert, Bortz, Thayer, Hilgenburg, and Van Horne. Payton took defenders with him to the end zone, blocked like a fortress, and was a good pass catcher. Also can throw the ball at times. Carried the offense in 1984 to NFC Championship game. Sayers had no help as well, but had 6 tads in one game, led league in rushing, etc. Eric Dickerson led league rushing multiple times carried his team. God help us if Dickerson had a QB that was actually good. Earl Campbell busted up players. Those are elite ribs. Forte is not even close to that.

It's 2015. Backs like that don't exist anymore.

 

[PrideisBears]

It's 2015. Backs like that don't exist anymore.

Lynch and Peterson beg to differ

 

[PrideisBears]

You don't watch football much, do you? Matt Forte is 43 years old. He'll be lucky to break 1000 yards rushing in a single season even one more time in his career.

He isnt 43

 

[Monk]

Lynch and Peterson beg to differ

Who?

 

[HansGruber]

Forte is not Elite whatsoever....do I really have to post a picture of shoestring's again?


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[pseudonym]

I never called forte elite. Very good is as high as I went, I think. He just set an nfl record. Matt feels disrespected.

 

[gilder121]

I never called forte elite. Very good is as high as I went, I think. He just set an nfl record. Matt feels disrespected.

He always has. Let him feel that way. It means more production. He is currently being paid well for what he is, which as you said is a very good back.

His nfl record didn't help the bears win. The checkdowns were a product of an Ill conceived offense with injured receivers that weren't open and a qb whose nerves didn't allow him to confidently read deep coverage.

 

[theOHIOSTATE!]

I never called forte elite. Very good is as high as I went, I think. He just set an nfl record. Matt feels disrespected.

That's nice, congratulations on the "record" and I hope he finds some consolation in the multiple millions of dollars he will be paid this yr....disrespect aside.

I have been a Forte guy for awhile, but this nonsense about extending someone at his age who just averaged 3.9 yds a carry is pretty hilarious.

 

[Warrior Spirit]

If Dallas wanted to overpay for a Rb, they'd still have Murray. Now you expect them to overpay for a downgrade?

 

[bearmick]

Forte is a better player than Murray. It took running behind the best OL the NFL has seen in years for Murray's career to take off. Dallas didn't pay him because you don't need to pay huge money to a back to get massive production behind that line, as you'll see next year with McFadden (whose career will also be revitalized).

Forte is a great player even going into his 8th year. He's had more all purpose yards than anyone in football since 2008 and outside of 2013 it's been on shit offenses where he's been the bell cow and main focus of every defense, and with shit lines. He's one of the most underrated players in the game and the best offensive player to wear blue and orange since Walter.

 

[BaBaBlacksheep]

Forte is a better player than Murray. It took running behind the best OL the NFL has seen in years for Murray's career to take off. Dallas didn't pay him because you don't need to pay huge money to a back to get massive production behind that line, as you'll see next year with McFadden (whose career will also be revitalized).

Forte is a great player even going into his 8th year. He's had more all purpose yards than anyone in football since 2008 and outside of 2013 it's been on shit offenses where he's been the bell cow and main focus of every defense, and with shit lines. He's one of the most underrated players in the game and the best offensive player to wear blue and orange since Walter.

I might make an argument for Olin there. But just for the sake of having an argument.

Forte is a stud.

 

[xer0h0ur]

Didn't Murray have a good if not great season when they had one of the league's worst offensive lines?

 

[The Hawk]

There is not a thing wrong about sitting down with Forte and talking about a two year contract with maybe a club option for a 3rd year. What is the matter with creating a win/win for great Bear players and Forte was/is a great Bear player. I love this nonsense that tools like the OSU honk talk about 3.9 yds a carry like this is somekind of a negative regarding Forte last season. The guy set an all-purpose yardage record last year yet he disses him and then has the nerve to say that he has been a "Forte guy" for awhile. What a dweeb!

 

[bearmick]

There is not a thing wrong about sitting down with Forte and talking about a two year contract with maybe a club option for a 3rd year. What is the matter with creating a win/win for great Bear players and Forte was/is a great Bear player. I love this nonsense that tools like the OSU honk talk about 3.9 yds a carry like this is somekind of a negative regarding Forte last season. The guy set an all-purpose yardage record last year yet he disses him and then has the nerve to say that he has been a "Forte guy" for awhile. What a dweeb!

You could also reduce his cap hit by extending him two years and enjoying more quality production for the rest of his prime with a more shared backfield role in a run-first, pass smart offense.

 

[The Hawk]

You could also reduce his cap hit by extending him two years and enjoying more quality production for the rest of his prime with a more shared backfield role in a run-first, pass smart offense.

Good point. I hold out some hope(not much, granted) that the Bears can somehow patch up their OTs enough to generate a ground game and utilize Forte's ability to catch out of the back-field. A lot of talk centers around Fox wanting to have a solid ground game which I am all for but unless that big rook that they drafted can immediately help as an earth mover, they are going to play hell running the ball behind our two incumbent OTs.