Thread: Forte Looking Forward to Extension Soon......

Forte seeking contract soon as reward for success


Bears running back's numbers proof of enhanced worth under higher salary cap



Bears running back Matt Forte runs for a 24-yard gain against the Green Bay Packers during the 1st quarter of their NFC Championship game. (Nuccio DiNuzzo/Tribune photo)



Photos: Matt Forte in action

• Poll: VOTE: Should Matt Forte be given a contract extension?

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  Story: Here's how Bears can hit ground running after lockout ends
  

By Vaughn McClure, Chicago Tribune reporter 8:21 p.m. CDT, July 23, 2011


Matt Forte doesn't have to sell himself. His numbers provide proof of his worth.

The Bears running back is ranked fifth in the league in yards from scrimmage (4,731) since 2008, joined Walter Payton as the only Bears to notch 1,000 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards in the same season and accumulated 1,400-plus yards from scrimmage in each of his first three seasons, the only player in franchise history to accomplish such a feat. Not to mention Forte's 294 yards from scrimmage in last year's playoffs.

No one should fault Forte for holding his hand out for a contract extension.

"Any time a player has been producing very well,'' Forte said, "they're going to come back and say, 'Hey, throw me a bone here.' "

But he isn't paid like a top dog yet. And if he's not during training camp, it might become an issue.

One could argue the fourth-year pro from Tulane is the most underpaid back in the league. Forte, who is due a base salary of $550,000 in the final year of his rookie contract, isn't even the highest-paid running back on the team. Backup Chester Taylor is scheduled to make $1.25 million after pulling in $7 million last season while averaging 2.4 yards per carry. Forte finished at 4.5.

Forte had wanted to sign an extension before the start of practice in Bourbonnais, tentatively scheduled for later this week.

"I think we're going about it the right way,'' he said. "My agent, Adisa Bakari, talked to (general manager) Jerry Angelo and Cliff Stein last season, just letting them know that we've been producing.

"And now that it's close to training camp, we don't have much time to negotiate.''

Forte's message was subtle and clear. But with 14 players set to hit the open market once the new collective bargaining agreement is approved, the Bears have a full plate of transactions on their table. They are projected to be $37 million below the newly proposed $120 million salary cap.

Forte might nudge the Bears a bit without becoming a distraction.

"It never benefits anybody — a player or organization — to hold out or miss practices,'' Forte said. "That's obviously something I wouldn't want to do.''

Bakari imagines the Bears are on the same page.

"We hope the Bears recognize the performance Matt has given to date and that they value that performance,'' the agent said.

Forte, 25, declined to talk financial terms that obviously would include substantial guaranteed money, yet he had no qualms discussing its duration.

"A long-term deal would be, I guess, five years,'' he said. "That's a long time for a running back to play. "Five years? That's beating the odds.''

He has been doing that since Day 1.

Forte, sitting alongside wife Danielle, whom he married July 16, laughed when asked if he was surprised about his NFL success.

"Honestly, no,'' he said. "I know God has blessed me with the talent to play football, so I have to use it to the best of my ability. I always expected to be the best or one of the best.




Copyright © 2011, Chicago Tribune
ct-spt-0724-bears-matt-forte-chicago-20110724

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Forte seeking contract soon as reward for success


Bears running back's numbers proof of enhanced worth under higher salary cap





"Right now, I think I'm one of the best in the game.''

Maybe close to being "the best'' depending on how you view it.

K.C. Joyner of the website The Football Scientist recently compiled a comparative study for ESPN.com that argued Forte was just as productive as Vikings star Adrian Peterson last season.

"It's nice to be compared to a guy like that,'' Forte said of Peterson. "I'm a tall running back (6 feet 2), and he's tall (6-1). I'd say in the open field, I'm more finesse, where he likes to run over people.

"To be a good running back, there are three components you have to have: you have run the ball, catch the ball and block. And I think I do all three of those pretty well.''

Forte continues to look for ways to improve, regardless.

During the lockout, when the offensive skill players gathered with Jay Cutler at Carmel High School, Forte got extensive work outside as a receiver and gained a better appreciation for route-running. He also received a refresher course on offensive coordinator Mike Martz's voluminous playbook as Cutler brought an abbreviated version to the workouts. The group worked on certain plays for 30 minutes to an hour.

"Over the offseason, you can forget some stuff in the playbook,'' Forte said. "If you don't continue to work on things, you'll forget everything.''

Forte's goals heading into this season include keeping his yards per carry at 4.5 or above, notching 1,000-plus yards rushing again and helping his team advance to the Super Bowl.

"I just want to continue to be consistent or better,'' Forte said. "There's nothing wrong with trying to attain perfection. That's the next step.''

Clearly, that's a step in the right direction.

vxmcclure@tribune.com

Twitter @vxmcclure23



Copyright © 2011, Chicago Tribune
ct-spt-0724-bears-matt-forte-chicago-20110724

Sign Him!!!

Well as we all knew it would be it's game on as far as an extension for Matt Forte is concerned and the article comparing him with AP combined with the deal they gave Taylor last year are giving his agent plenty of ammunition for negotiations. I knew that deal we gave Taylor would come back to haunt us when it came time to extending Forte's deal. Just that fact that Taylor is due to make $700k more than Forte this year is kind of an insult to Forte's abilities and value to the team compared to that of Taylor.

There's no question that extending Forte's deal is a must but no matter how quickly he'd like to get it done it will probably have to wait at least until this flurry of re-signings and free agency has finished. I like his attitude about not holding out but JA needs to set a priority on starting to put a deal together for both him and Greg Olsen.

Originally Posted by 4th and 26

Unless Matt plays on Defense, Jerry will screw this one up.

LOL, 4th this thread duplicated somehow so if you can combine it with the other and tell me how to delete the extra thread starter posts I'll do it.