Thread: Others Reportedly Interested in Forte if Bears Are Not...........

You know this is really starting to get ridiculous. It's one thing to have contract squabbles with potentially expendable vets like Kruetz and Harris and I don't blame them for standing their ground with Briggs but this Forte thing is troubling. What more does the guy need to do to prove that he's the best back this team has had since Neal Anderson's prime.

The guy leads the league in total yardage, he's worked to improve his game every year he's been here, and he's just now entering into the prime of his career. Provided he stays healthy he's got at least 3 and maybe 4 more very productive years ahead of him. So why is it so damn difficult to give a guy who provides 50% of your offense a competitve deal? This is why Angelo needs to go and the front office needs to restructure their thinking and approach to building this team.

All this is getting them is a more disappointed star player. It's really obvious Jerry Angelo is just blackmailing Forte with the threat of a franchise designation and another delay in getting a long term deal. They've given him an offer on the lower end of the spectrum and are telling him to take it or leave it knowing full well they'll franchise him is he doesn't agree. I know it's just business but it's a shitt way to run it and if you ask me it sends a very poor message to others around the league.

http://bit.ly/nhiuG6

Jerry Angelo just told me that they've received no calls regarding Matt Forte.

Originally Posted by Bear Goggles

http://bit.ly/nhiuG6

Jerry Angelo just told me that they've received no calls regarding Matt Forte.

The Trib just says those teams talked about it internally so they wouldn't have called the Bears if that was the case. Of course there's no way to confirm it but I don't doubt it either. I'm sure more them just two would be interested if he ever got to the market.

It's really just a filler article to keep the discussion about why he's not signed yet alive. At least that's the way I took it. I'm not worried or thinking he'd going anywhere before 2013 if at all.

Originally Posted by Riczaj01

If JA ever let Forte get into the open market, he'd probably get a top 5 money deal. He'll franchise him before he lets that happen though. I hope Forte calls his bluff and sits out until a legit deal is done. It would actually help Forte, who would have saved "x" time on his body by not playing and taking those hits.

The trouble with sitting out is that the new CBA call for fines up to $30k a day for holding or sitting out. When you're only making around $600k a three week hold out would chew up your entire salary if you don't get a new deal. I doubt you'd see Forte doing it but right now it's the only real bargaining ploy he's got to counter Jerry's if you don't take our offer we'll franchise you.

Originally Posted by yttocs

Not sure here but, If hes tagged at 8 mill a year, next year, and sits out. It's 5.8 mill in penalties or so. Thats still 2.2 for sitting out no? If hes tagged and sits out the year do the bears get to keep him again?, even if he refuses the TAG deal? Not sure of all the details.

If they tag him but he sits out he gets nothing in salary but he can still be fined. Under the new CBA teams can now only franchise tag a player once, after that they become an unrestricted free agent. So the Bears can hold on to him through the 2102 season by tagging him and unless he agrees to a new deal with them that's it.

You can be sure that the will tag him if they can't get a deal done before next March. At the very least that extends the time they have to continue to pursue signing him. The Bears have only done this once before and that was with Lance Briggs.