Forte Threatens To Skip Training Camp, Says He Won’t Miss*Games

**The Benjamin** · 06-22-2012, 02:43 PM

(CBS) Matt Forte will likely hold out training camp if he and the Bears aren’t able to reach a long-term deal, but the Bears running back told 670 The Score’s Zach Zaidman Friday that he won’t miss any regular season games.
Speaking at the Madden 13 Pigskin Pro Am in Grant Park, Forte said talks with the Bears are ongoing, but he would not guarantee that he would report to training camp in Bourbonnais if a deal is not reached by the July 16 deadline.
The running back has very little incentive to miss games, however, and made it clear that he will suit up when the regular season starts.
Forte is said to be looking for a similar deal as the one Philadelphia Eagles’ running back LeSean McCoy received in May: five years, $45 million (over $20 million guaranteed).

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/06/...nt-miss-games/

**The Benjamin** · 06-22-2012, 02:45 PM

Over $20M in guarantees, over valuing himself?

**Riczaj01** · 06-22-2012, 02:53 PM

similar to is what I hope is the key word there.

yes 5-6 years is to long for Forte; and therefore so is the 45mil/20 guarantees. But make it a 4year deal and scale the $'s back appropriately and I think he's right in the same ball park. He's not a teir 1 rb(top 3 or 4 rb's), but he's clearly tier 2(next 6 or 7 backs).

**A-11** · 06-22-2012, 02:54 PM

I dislike hearing players say this. If your not around for training camp (at minimum as a spectator), if you take zero snaps during preseason, do you deserve to start off playing during the regular season? If the team is using a new offense, how could you expect to be a part of it? Players that start hurting the team, need not be a part of it, I don't care what the net gain works out to be.

**The Benjamin** · 06-22-2012, 02:56 PM

Using your 4 years and his similar to idea

4 years 36M with 16M in guarantees

**Riczaj01** · 06-22-2012, 02:59 PM

and at that point if I were him I'd let them tag me 2x's. At 28 he could enter FA and probably get a 8mil to 14 mil deal like what Bush/Gore got which would net him more money/guarantees.

There is lies a huge issue. Why sign a 4 year deal w/less guarantees then the 2 1yr deals you're looking at getting? It's a paradox and probably the crux of the issue.

A-11, if it was any other position I would agree, but the RB posistion is hardly a hard position to figure out. He'll probably not be the starter for the first few weeks if he does it though. Team should have offered him 16 mil/35 last year and this wouldn't be an issue though so they share some blame.

**The Benjamin** · 06-22-2012, 03:05 PM

Originally Posted by Riczaj01

and at that point if I were him I'd let them tag me 2x's. At 28 he could enter FA and probably get a 8mil to 14 mil deal like what Bush/Gore got which would net him more money/guarantees.

There is lies a huge issue. Why sign a 4 year deal w/less guarantees then the 2 1yr deals you're looking at getting? It's a paradox and probably the crux of the issue.

Just using the similar deal and giving him the averages.

**Riczaj01** · 06-22-2012, 03:10 PM

oh I know. And that is probably what is happening in negotiations.. I bet the Bears don't want to offer a 5-6 year deal, and are saying hey here's a 4 year deal that is essentially the same per year and we aren't budging. And he's probalby saying I can get more in 2 years and still be able to get a 3rd contract after that and make money.

I have a funny feeling some time before camp is out he'll sign the tag or a long term deal for 16-18 mil in guarantees and 30-35 mil total. No way the Bears can give him 20/40 mil w/5-6 years.

**Papa Bear** · 06-22-2012, 03:11 PM

I'd be very worried about him hurting himself. I know he was in tip top shape last year, but he still had training camp to ease into game-type activity. If he misses training camp this year, he goes straight to full speed, full contact play and that worries me.

**A-11** · 06-22-2012, 03:25 PM

Originally Posted by Riczaj01

A-11, if it was any other position I would agree, but the RB posistion is hardly a hard position to figure out. He'll probably not be the starter for the first few weeks if he does it though. Team should have offered him 16 mil/35 last year and this wouldn't be an issue though so they share some blame.

Riczaj01 you might have a point, and I do not think RBs would have a lot of catch up to do scheme wise. But if you are not in football shape, your not in shape. I'm taking a guess, but players probally need at least 2 1/2 weeks in pads minimum, anything less and your behind. As a fan, it does frustrate me.

Another perspective from last year, is this Forte's dream?

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...-is-the-dream/

For veteran players, Ross Tucker says missing training camp is “the dream”
Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on April 13, 2011, 9:18 AM EDT

AP

The NFL work stoppage is certainly frustrating for fans. It’s probably annoying for borderline young NFL players and possible free agents.

But what about veteran NFL players? Are they really upset about missing organized team activities and weightlifting? Or is it sorta nice to have a true offseason for once?

Ross Tucker of SIRIUS NFL Radio was on PFT Live Tuesday, and voiced what should be clear:
Most veteran players probably don’t mind the lockout. Why would they?“None of the veteran players can say this for obvious reasons, but I’m retired so I can,” Tucker told Florio. “Some of these guys, they have already got it in their head: ‘Let’s get it resolved around mid-August.”‘

There simply isn’t a lot of pressure to solve things right now when paychecks don’t really start until September. “People talk about it all the time: What is the hard and fast deadline?” Tucker asked. “Well, when a vast majority of your membership doesn’t really even want to go to training camp, they don’t want to go to two-a-days, ideally for them it would get resolved, I don’t know, August 10th. We have a week of free agency. Then August 17th we have two or three weeks of preseason and then play the season.

“You do realize, Mike, that’s the dream. To skip training camp, to skip two-a-days and just go right to the season . . . there are a lot of guys that are very much looking forward to the possibility.”

It’s a great point and partially explains some of the lack of urgency in talks.Tucker’s comments could possibly annoy some union members on the front line, but of course he’s just speaking the truth. The majority of veteran players wouldn’t mind a little more time off.
It may even make it harder for the young guys to make the team.

______________________________

Problem is, unlike the article, we are not talking about Vet's as a whole, its only a select few (like Forte) that have threatened to not work to improve their team during camps. The rest are planing to work for that $.

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