A source for the Chicago Tribune is saying that with more than 1,200 touches under his belt in the NFL, the Chicago Bears wonder how long running back Matt Forte’s knees will hold up. Forte has history with both knees. He tore the posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in November 2006 at Tulane and that injury, combined with 833 carries in college primarily on artificial surfaces, caused a handful of teams to note worries over the length of his NFL career. He suffered a sprained medial collateral ligament in the same knee in 2009, his second year, and had postseason arthroscopic surgery. In the midst of his best season last year, Forte missed the Bears' final four games after suffering an MCL sprain in his right knee. Source: David Haugh, The Chicago Tribune
They rode him hard & put him away wet... They never planned on spending big money on this kid, just wanted to wring as much out of his rookie contract that they could. Typical Bears BS...heck 'em.
Well, RB is the most pounding position in football, right? No matter whether the Bears have brought in Kevin Jones (2009), Chester Taylor (2010), or Marion Barber (2011), the Bears have still rode Forte like a horse since day one. I have a feeling Forte will still sign his franchise tag, just at the last possible minute though.
I couldn't agree more the bears rode the crap out of him and if they simply don't want to pay him due to knees trade him away to a team that is willing to pay the man, or just pay the man but don't mock him by getting other RB, reconstruct Cutlers contract because that's simply a slap in the face to a player that was your only offensive weapon
Better question. If his knees are a worry why franchise him at all? Wouldn't it be better to spend that money on someone else who doesn't have an issue? Sounds to me the Bears are running a smear campaign to make Forte the bad guy in all this. I really hope this comes back to bite the Bears in the butt. Seems they have jerked this guy around since he was drafted.
As a chicago fan I dont't see it very well... If Forte is not playing we would be a bit screwed......
I still don't see how signing Michael Bush is supposed to be a slap in the face to Matt Forte. Was signing Jones, Taylor or Barber a slap in the face too? Regardless of Matt's contract situation you need a quality #2 back no matter what. I'm not saying the Bears have handled the entire situation the best way possible but no matter what you need a quality backup. You can't ask a franchise to put off all other roster moves until Forte signs his franchise tag.
I agree with that whole post. I don't see how signing Michael Bush is a slap in the face either. Like I said in my last post in this thread. The Bears have rode Forte like a horse ever since game 1 of his rookie year. Over 1200 carries in 4 years is A LOT. For the last year or two, i've always wanted the Bears to bring in someone who can take some of the workload off of Forte's shoulders and I feel like Michael Bush is that guy.
THe Bush signing is far from a slap in the face. The slap is how the Bears have roded Forte around...
