Thread: Could Cutler Get an Extension Before Forte is Signed?..............Could Ja

I believe the Bears have put their best offer on the table already and with the exception of tweaking it a bit here or there they've pretty much drawn their "line in the sand."

If by July 16th Forte hasn't agreed to a new contract then I can very easily see them going forward with negotiations on extensions for Cutler and Urlacher. Forte can only consume so much of their attention on the contract front before they need to move on.

I also read that the guy who is at the center of negotiations for the Bears is not Ted Phillips or Phil Emery but Cliff Stein. I'm sure Stein keeps a matrix of expiring contract and he knows very well what he can afford to spend on a guy before he paints himself into a corner with other deals and he has never done that yet.

Originally Posted by Riczaj01

Might have been the thought process the whole time. Notice how Bush got the deal they offered Forte? He didn't take it, they gave it to someone that would. FT him this year, let him walk and draft someone next year. Money now can be given to Cutler.

Where did you get that idea? The rumors we've heard are that last fall the Bears offered Forte between $13-$15 guaranteed, not total. That was only the amount of what I think may have been a four year offer that was guaranteed. The entire contract was double those number for four year.

Bush got a four year $14 mil deal in total and only $7.45 mil is guaranteed. In other words he got what a top backup would get but nowhere near what a top ten starter would get. It was nowhere near the same deal.

Keep him on the franchise tag for a few years then. I'm one of the few in Forte's camp, but I agree wholeheartedly management has more than try to get him in the fold on the to do list.

The only current problem is that keeping him franchised is that it's a cap killer because it's all accounted for as salary. His cap hit this year is $7.74 mil and next year it would be $9.3 mil. That's a big hit for a RB.

Originally Posted by soulman

The only current problem is that keeping him franchised is that it's a cap killer because it's all accounted for as salary. His cap hit this year is $7.74 mil and next year it would be $9.3 mil. That's a big hit for a RB.

We have said this numerous times, but running backs can be bought and replaced by cheaper, younger backs. Right now, if the Bears were to start the season without Matt Forte as the starter, I have every bit of confidence that Michael Bush would be able to shoulder the load as a solid starter seeing as how he rushed for over 900 yards and over 4.0 yards per carry last year in Oakland. Will he be the blocker or pass receiver that Forte is? I think the trade off is negligible considering what you would be saving in salary cap space.

This is only one of the reasons why I think Forte should have been traded for draft picks. Whether we would have gotten an extra 1st Rounder is nebulous, but having extra 2nd and 3rd Round picks would have been totally awesome in order to build depth. Hell, for that matter, we could have drafted a running back in the second round along with Jeffery.

No doubt Dags. I didn't suggest doing I just commented that it's hard on the cap when you franchise a player.

I keep hoping they'll get an agreement with Forte that is fair for both sides. I respect the Bears for not overpaying on a RB. There is a bigger picture here than Matt (like affording to re-sign Cutler for one thing). Forte is a great talent IMHO, but I'm OK with the FT. And Forte needs to play at a high level under the Tag if he hopes to have a future with us OR another team down the road.