Thread: Bush More Than Just a Big Bruising Backup................

Originally Posted by MPBears68

Man, I just wish Forte would get over his hissy fit and SIGN (whatever). Call me a homer if you want, but this looks like the best 1-2 RB combo in the NFC. And Bell isn't a bad #3 man either. Come on, Matt, get on the bandwagon! This team looks really solid with some decent Oline play.

Originally Posted by motownbear

Bears have doubts that Matt Forte’s knees can hold up | ProFootballTalk

Yeah and that PFT article really springs from David Haugh's piece about it in the Trib. These days anything that comes out of Haugh or the Trib regarding Forte I look at very cautiously. For the most part the Trib writers have always been pro Bears in this contract dispute.

I don't doubt there's some concern but is this more propagandized than it needs to be. There some facts buried in there but if his knee is alright from that hit he took last year then I have to say that whatever shape his knees are in he's overcome any problems with them pretty well.

I'm more focused on the part of the rumor that says he was looking for something in the range of 5 years/$40 mil/$20 mil guaranteed as an opening salvo last fall and now has perhaps upped those expectations. I'll forget about the "upped" part and just deal with the 5 years and $20 mil guarantee. Forget about the $40 mil it's not likely he'll be a star RB in five years so he won't collect it all anyway.

First of all at his age the Bears don't want to go past 4 years and they want a guarantee they can live with a get to him in two years if they can. $17 mil is what it would cost them to franchise him for two years so guarantee it to him and see to it that in combination of salary and bonuses that he gets it. Now add two more year to the deal at about $6 mil and $7 mil and it's a $30 mil 4 year deal where there's actually a good chance he'll collect if his knees do hold up and the Bears are protected beyond that $17 mil if they don't.

Do you guys think there's some possibility the docs told the Bears when he got this last injury that his knees were on borrowed time and one good shot and it's over? Is that the reason for Bush?