The Bears hold nearly all the cards. And, if a deal does get done, it will have to be Forte that caves and not the Bears. Rewind to March 2nd, the day Chicago placed the franchise tag on their star running back. It was from that pointed date, that the team dug itself in for the long haul. Signing running back Michael Bush in free agency was another. Was 2011 a down year for Forte? Hardly. Although a season-ending knee injury raised some durability questions from management.
 |
| Will Forte strut his stuff again in Chicago? |
Forte still got selected to his first Pro Bowl, finishing with 1,487 yards from scrimmage and 997 rushing in his fourth season. He averaged 4.9 yards per carry. Forte was the first Chicago running back to make it to the Pro Bowl since Neal Anderson following the 1991 season.
Forte came into last season looking for an extension, but did not reach an agreement with the Bears.
Forte was reportedly offered a deal that guaranteed about $13 million or $14 million, but might have been looking for something closer to the five-year, $43 million contract with $21 million guaranteed that Carolina gave DeAngelo Williams.
"Matt is an important part of our football team and we chose to utilize the franchise tag to ensure he remains a Bear," Bears general manager Phil Emery said. "We believe in Matt as a player and a person. Our intention is to continue to work to find common ground and keep Matt as a member of the Chicago Bears in 2012 and beyond."
Do the Bears want Forte back? No question. But not for the money he'd hoped for. New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees spent most of his off-season bickering with management over his contract. Friday he received his big payoff with a 5-year $100 million dollar deal. The difference is with Brees, he held control over the Saints BECAUSE he was the quarterback, not running back. Without Brees, the Saints were toast and everyone knew that. So here we are, two days away from a deadline for Matt Forte. The Bears appear content to go to battle with quarterback Jay Cutler and his new toys at wide receiver, Brandon Marshall and Ashton Jeffery. And a running back that will run hard between the tackles by the name of Bush, not Forte. UPDATE: CBS Sports is reporting the Bears and Forte are close to an agreement (4 p.m. CT Saturday). That leaves a little less than 48 hours to come to an agreement before the 4 p.m.. ET deadline on Monday. UPDATE TO THE UPDATE: Forte and Bears agreed to a 4-Year $32 million dollar deal Monday.
###
The Chicago Blackhawks have been less than successful this off-season in changing the looks of their team. General Manager Stan Bowman has been taking big heat for his shortcomings at making some kind of a deal. The addition of defenseman Sheldon Brookbank is hardly what fans were clamoring for. Hawk Nation wants some changes that make their team a Stanley Cup contender again. Chicago swung and missed at goalie Martin Brodeur and came up short in their runs at defenseman Ryan Suter and winger Zach Parise. Now, it looks like center Shane Doan will reject the Indian Head sweater and stay in Phoenix. Unless Bowman shows some guile and grit in making a deal, this could be another frustrating year for Chicago fans. Frankly it's hard to understand the hesitations of Bowman. He stocked his farm system with some impact players when forced to trade off a number of stars several years ago. It's time to use those assets and deal. In no special order, the Hawks need a 2nd line center, a defenseman and an answer in goal. Bowman has been slow in his dealings, the type of maneuverings that will ultimately get him fired. The Hawks management has shown cracks in their armor since winning the Cup. The question is this. How much longer will owner Rocky Wirtz be patient? Stay tuned.
###
It looks like the Chicago Bulls will match Omer Asik's 3-year $25.1 million dollar contract offer from the Houston Rockets in the coming days. Not sure why. Aren't there some other retreads they could pick up for less money and less years. Isn't Granville Waiters available? Hello, Granville, where are you?.....Cubs fans are delirious with their new star, 1st baseman Anthony Rizzo. Rizzo might be everything they hoped for. Nice swing and plays with great energy.....and look for the team to unload Ryan Dempster soon. For some reason I keep seeing the Yankees as his final destination. But don't count out Detroit.....and speaking of arms. The White Sox need to add a left-handed reliever to their bullpen mix. Toronto Blue Jay Darren Oliver would be an awesome pickup. But it appears he's one everyone wants. GM Kenny Williams made a great steal with Kevin Youkilis several weeks ago. Oliver would provide great depth to the pen. Kenny??? You back from Egypt yet?
Thanks for reading,
John
No comments:
Post a Comment