Bears Officially Tag Forte

**soulman** · 03-03-2012, 02:46 PM

Originally Posted by JJ-30

I guess I must be the only one that hates to see this happen. A long term deal should have been done along time ago. If it is being done so a long term deal can be done great but if it is only to keep Forte as a Bear for the next year I don't like it one bit.

At this point I'd believe it is. It's not in the Bears best interest to have all of that $$$ for the franchise tag hit the cap this year. Instead of a $7.7 mil hit they might structure a deal where the cap hit may be $3-$4 mil less than that. Both sides seem to being walking the tightrope here. But you're absolutely correct when you say it should have been done long ago.

Forte made it very clear that his asking price would rise as the season wore on and he made certain his performance backed that up. If he wouldn't have gotten injured he probably would have had more than 2000 total yards this year. I don't know what it takes to be considered elite but if that's not it then it's damn close to it.

Forte has been unlucky in that he was a second round pick and never got the really big money rookie contract. He's been a real bargain for the Bears these last 4 years but regardless of that I don't believe he can look at being compensated for the past. That's the way the breaks go sometimes. On the other hand the Bears have to come off their stance that he's not elite as far as all around backs go and that he's reached his peak and may go downhill from here. I'm not opposed to them protecting themsleves but there are ways to do that.

Most of this problem I lay at Angelo's feet. To me he took and arrogant arms folded across his chest way to early in this game when he decided to push this off. While it's true that he got another year out of him on the cheap I don't believe that's what motivated Forte like so many sportswriters were saying. If it did anything it made him feel devalued and has made his all that much more fierce in negotiations because now he wants to be compensated for 2011 too.

I don't know JJ. You have a better insight into this than anybody around here. What do you think about it all?

**Blue Horse-shoe** · 03-03-2012, 09:29 PM

Originally Posted by soulman

Not at all unexpected. I don't know where they stand now but I'm sure the guarantee is the sticking point. If the Bears are still stuck around that $13-$14 mil figure they aren't gonna get it done and Forte needs to compromise and come off that $21 mil that DWill if that's where he's at. If they could get to $18 mil and add some incentives if he remains healthy and productive I think Forte should grab it.

Compromise yes. He needs to remember one thing; in today's NFL ( with it's pass happy offenses ) it's QB's and good WR's who carry a teams O , not RB's. This ain't the old days anymore. Both sides need to compromise and get it done, cuz this is getting tiresome.

**Dagan81** · 03-03-2012, 11:39 PM

I agree with soul that this is all laid at Jerry Angelo's feet. Angelo wanted to squeeze blood from the turnip (Forte) for another year for as cheaply as he possibly could, and now look. The Bears are stuck in a bad position of having to find a way to bridge the gap toward what Matt Forte wants. If there is anything that will come of this, the Bears will have to do more in terms of increasing their offer to Forte, not Forte coming down. Forte will probably wind up sitting out a large portion of OTAs and possibly Training Camp because of this if Emery doesn't get something done here.

**JJ-30** · 03-04-2012, 01:53 AM

Some people on this board know me, but most don't. My past has nothing to do with why I post here or on other boards, I post because I love the Bears and like the rest of you I am nothing more then a fan. Yes, I played some football many years ago in the NFL and my position was a Runningback, so this whole thing with Forte hits home a little bit more with me. Yes money is a big part of any Pros deal, but it isn't the only thing that counts with every player. Sonme players want to know they are part of the team and not just another player. During my time I got paid good money nothing like he millions they hand out today. If some GM had told me they were willing to pay me 7.7 million to play for them for a year I would have kissed a lot more the just their feet. In my day once a player sign with a team he became there property with almost no rights. Today we have FA but a player still has almost no rights except to get a damn good paycheck if he is tagged. I was really hoping in the new CBA that the union would get the tagging of any player down to one year but it didn't, my guess not enough power.

The Bears now have to 2 players on the team that have been tagged. Forte who has been paid peanuts for the last 4 years and Lance Briggs who got a nice contract after being tagged, but now isn't happy because he got most of his money up front. As we all know the Bears took a a hard line with Briggs when he demanded to have his contract renegotiated. Once a player signs a contract then he should live by that contract as Forte has done over the past 4 years. Most team will also live by the contract as long as the player is productive, but can cut a player at will, what they lose is the guaranteed money they pay a player. And that is where I think the Bears and Forte are far apart, but like the rest of you I have no idea how far apart they are. I will also say a LB in most cases will out last RB in the NFL. Did Forte hold out any time during that 4 years no, did complain yes only after a deal couldn't get done last year.

I know some will disagree with me on this but the Bears should pay Forte with a great contract and a ton of money up front not only for what he can do for them in the future but for what he has done for them over the past 4 years. Forte unlike many players today gives a 110% on any given Sunday. Maybe as some say he wouldn't get used as much now that Martz is gone, but that only means he should be big part of the Bears Offense for years to come.

Not to long ago I woke up with sharp pains running down my spine and shooting down both of my legs, it felt like someone had stabbed me with a dozens of knifes in my spine and legs. The pain was so great that a neighbor
walking her dog heard my screams from the pain and called 911 thinking someone was being murdered. I spent a good part of day in the ER getting shots in my lower spine to relieve the pain. When I asked my doctor what
the hell happen his answer was "Well when you abuse your body for years, what did you think would happen as you got older. The body can only heal so much." Being a RB in the NFL isn't a 9 to 5 Monday to Friday job, until 65. But I can tell you the wear and tear on your body is for life.

So if you want my answer here it is. It makes no sense for the Bears to pay Forte 7.7 million in CAP money when it could be used to sign other players if a deal gets done especially before FA starts. It also make no sense for Forte to sign a deal with the Bears that would have only guarantee him 13 to 14 million when that is what he will make over the next two years being tagged. Yes I know he would have made more then just the 13 to 14 million in the first two years, but my point the 13 to 14 million guaranteed just isn't enough. IMO the deal with Forte should be somewhere around 42 million for 5 years with 20 million guarnateed. I know this is a better deal then the 36 million 6 year deal from last year. But then you did ask an ex-runningback.

Originally Posted by soulman

At this point I'd believe it is. It's not in the Bears best interest to have all of that $$$ for the franchise tag hit the cap this year. Instead of a $7.7 mil hit they might structure a deal where the cap hit may be $3-$4 mil less than that. Both sides seem to being walking the tightrope here. But you're absolutely correct when you say it should have been done long ago.

Forte made it very clear that his asking price would rise as the season wore on and he made certain his performance backed that up. If he wouldn't have gotten injured he probably would have had more than 2000 total yards this year. I don't know what it takes to be considered elite but if that's not it then it's damn close to it.

Forte has been unlucky in that he was a second round pick and never got the really big money rookie contract. He's been a real bargain for the Bears these last 4 years but regardless of that I don't believe he can look at being compensated for the past. That's the way the breaks go sometimes. On the other hand the Bears have to come off their stance that he's not elite as far as all around backs go and that he's reached his peak and may go downhill from here. I'm not opposed to them protecting themsleves but there are ways to do that.

Most of this problem I lay at Angelo's feet. To me he took and arrogant arms folded across his chest way to early in this game when he decided to push this off. While it's true that he got another year out of him on the cheap I don't believe that's what motivated Forte like so many sportswriters were saying. If it did anything it made him feel devalued and has made his all that much more fierce in negotiations because now he wants to be compensated for 2011 too.

I don't know JJ. You have a better insight into this than anybody around here. What do you think about it all?

**jackiejokeman** · 03-04-2012, 02:32 AM

So whats the deal? Forte wanted 8.0 mil and he got 7.7 mil.

So get ready to play FOOTBALL now that you have your payout.

**Jimmors** · 03-04-2012, 06:06 AM

Originally Posted by Blue Horse-shoe

Compromise yes. He needs to remember one thing; in today's NFL ( with it's pass happy offenses ) it's QB's and good WR's who carry a teams O , not RB's. This ain't the old days anymore. Both sides need to compromise and get it done, cuz this is getting tiresome.

Yeah...but hes also our #1 Receiver :)

**The Benjamin** · 03-04-2012, 06:21 AM

Originally Posted by Jimmors

Yeah...but hes also our #1 Receiver :)

True. That is why he has so many yards from scrimmage. There are no stud WR on the team. IF we actually had one, Forte's numbers would not be nearly as good as they were. That may be how the Bears are looking at paying him, in hopes that he will no longer be looked upon as the main offensive weapon. If they add at least one stud WR, his numbers will likely go way down.

**Riczaj01** · 03-04-2012, 08:47 AM

Originally Posted by Blue Horse-shoe

Compromise yes. He needs to remember one thing; in today's NFL ( with it's pass happy offenses ) it's QB's and good WR's who carry a teams O , not RB's. This ain't the old days anymore. Both sides need to compromise and get it done, cuz this is getting tiresome.

Tell that to D Will, and Gore both of who are(if you believe Forte is only an average back...laughable) or less then that getting huge contracts. This is a league where you can very much be expected to get paid the same as, if not better then the people you're comparable too...and he's VERY comparable to those two...actually whups there asses.

And if this is a QB and WR league, go and look at who just won the SB...not the best qb w/the best wr's.(brady best qb, brees best qb/wr combo's). You still have to be able to run the ball effectively and play D to keep those players in check.

**Riczaj01** · 03-04-2012, 08:53 AM

Originally Posted by The Benjamin

True. That is why he has so many yards from scrimmage. There are no stud WR on the team. IF we actually had one, Forte's numbers would not be nearly as good as they were. That may be how the Bears are looking at paying him, in hopes that he will no longer be looked upon as the main offensive weapon. If they add at least one stud WR, his numbers will likely go way down.

well that is an over simplification of what would happen...the next thing that would happen is teams would start having to defend that WR and Forte's rushing #'s would go up as a result....it's not a zero sum game. Right now Forte is the only real weapon, and teams have to defend only against him; add a stud WR for Cutler to throw to and now you have to worry about Cutler and that WR, that frees Forte up w/less D on him.

JJ. "So if you want my answer here it is. It makes no sense for the Bears to pay Forte 7.7 million in CAP money when it could be used to sign other players if a deal gets done especially before FA starts. It also make no sense for Forte to sign a deal with the Bears that would have only guarantee him 13 to 14 million when that is what he will make over the next two years being tagged. Yes I know he would have made more then just the 13 to 14 million in the first two years, but my point the 13 to 14 million guaranteed just isn't enough. IMO the deal with Forte should be somewhere around 42 million for 5 years with 20 million guarnateed. I know this is a better deal then the 36 million 6 year deal from last year. But then you did ask an ex-runningback."

this might be the best point made about this; why would Forte agree to a 4-5 year deal w/the same amount of gauranteed money as 2 years worth of tag(which the 2nd year would be well more then that so really less then 2 years worth of tag). That is further proof that the 14 mil deal was a slap in the face. We all know that the none guaranteed money will not be fully seen by players so the only real #'s that count are the guaranteed.

**soulman** · 03-04-2012, 02:44 PM

Originally Posted by JJ-30

Some people on this board know me, but most don't. My past has nothing to do with why I post here or on other boards, I post because I love the Bears and like the rest of you I am nothing more then a fan. Yes, I played some football many years ago in the NFL and my position was a Runningback, so this whole thing with Forte hits home a little bit more with me. Yes money is a big part of any Pros deal, but it isn't the only thing that counts with every player. Some players want to know they are part of the team and not just another player. During my time I got paid good money nothing like he millions they hand out today. If some GM had told me they were willing to pay me 7.7 million to play for them for a year I would have kissed a lot more the just their feet. In my day once a player sign with a team he became there property with almost no rights. Today we have FA but a player still has almost no rights except to get a damn good paycheck if he is tagged. I was really hoping in the new CBA that the union would get the tagging of any player down to one year but it didn't, my guess not enough power.

The Bears now have to 2 players on the team that have been tagged. Forte who has been paid peanuts for the last 4 years and Lance Briggs who got a nice contract after being tagged, but now isn't happy because he got most of his money up front. As we all know the Bears took a a hard line with Briggs when he demanded to have his contract renegotiated. Once a player signs a contract then he should live by that contract as Forte has done over the past 4 years. Most team will also live by the contract as long as the player is productive, but can cut a player at will, what they lose is the guaranteed money they pay a player. And that is where I think the Bears and Forte are far apart, but like the rest of you I have no idea how far apart they are. I will also say a LB in most cases will out last RB in the NFL. Did Forte hold out any time during that 4 years no, did complain yes only after a deal couldn't get done last year.

I know some will disagree with me on this but the Bears should pay Forte with a great contract and a ton of money up front not only for what he can do for them in the future but for what he has done for them over the past 4 years. Forte unlike many players today gives a 110% on any given Sunday. Maybe as some say he wouldn't get used as much now that Martz is gone, but that only means he should be big part of the Bears Offense for years to come.

Not to long ago I woke up with sharp pains running down my spine and shooting down both of my legs, it felt like someone had stabbed me with a dozens of knifes in my spine and legs. The pain was so great that a neighbor
walking her dog heard my screams from the pain and called 911 thinking someone was being murdered. I spent a good part of day in the ER getting shots in my lower spine to relieve the pain. When I asked my doctor what
the hell happen his answer was "Well when you abuse your body for years, what did you think would happen as you got older. The body can only heal so much." Being a RB in the NFL isn't a 9 to 5 Monday to Friday job, until 65. But I can tell you the wear and tear on your body is for life.

So if you want my answer here it is. It makes no sense for the Bears to pay Forte 7.7 million in CAP money when it could be used to sign other players if a deal gets done especially before FA starts. It also make no sense for Forte to sign a deal with the Bears that would have only guarantee him 13 to 14 million when that is what he will make over the next two years being tagged. Yes I know he would have made more then just the 13 to 14 million in the first two years, but my point the 13 to 14 million guaranteed just isn't enough. IMO the deal with Forte should be somewhere around 42 million for 5 years with 20 million guarnateed. I know this is a better deal then the 36 million 6 year deal from last year. But then you did ask an ex-runningback.

Thanks for the input JJ. I'd tend to agree with you that he's looking to get a deal as close what DeAngelo Williams got as he can and his play this year pretty much confirmed that he deserves it. Angelo used the excuse that DWill was a free agent and Forte wasn't as his reason for the low ball offer. Well that's not a card Emery can play now.

Somewhere in the middle of this somebody has to give in to a compromise. Having to take a cap hit of almost $8 mil for that tag hurts other acquisitions from FA as well as signing our own. I hope that's enough motivation to get the Bears to cut loose a little and get this done. If we end up short of cap space to sign our own guys and adequately pursue difference makers in FA then to me we haven't learned a damn thing. Phil Emery or no Phil Emery this won't be any different than it's been for the last 10 years under Angelo. Too hit and miss for me.

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