Matt Forte has lost his leverage

by Joe Persinger
@Brew_Mastr_Joe on twitter

The Chicago Bear's have put Matt Forte in a pickle.  It's amazing what 4 months has accomplished.  Long gone are the fans who turned to social media with hash tags, fantasy football and twitter handles reading: "Pay Forte".


Forte has been reluctant to embrace the position he has been put in, and lost his public composure when the Bear's inked Michael Bush to a 4 year deal ($7 Million Guarented) and spouted off a tweet questioning the dedication of the Bear's and their new GM, Phil Emery.

“There’s only so many times a man that has done everything he’s been asked to do can be disrespected! Guess the GOOD GUYs do finish last.”

After this tweet, the Chicago fan base has collectively taken a step back.  Many fans understand the position he has been put in.  He is pushing closer to that running back expiration date, would like to have job-security and a few zeros in his bank account to show for what he has accomplished.


This is why he was backed by the fans.


But disrespected??


With $7 Million plus due to him this year, and a 110% raise (if they fail to negotiate a deal and franchise him again) next year, sympathies for the Bear's running back slowly starts to recede.


$7 million a year isn't being "disrespected".

Phil Emery has strategically broke a tackle in this whole fiasco.  By acquiring Brandon Marshall and Martz getting the boot, the offensive dynamic for the Bear's is going to drastically change.


With Brandon Marshall now in the mix, and Michael Bush, a good pass blocker, the Bear's can now become a legitimate passing offense and not lean heavily on Forte's production (to a certain degree), shifting the leverage back to the Bears.


Forte was offered a $14 million (guaranteed) contract, which he turned down.  Number 22 wants guaranteed Adrian Peterson dollars ($36 million guaranteed) or something closer to what Arian Foster received about a month ago ($21 million guaranteed).


Let's be serious.


Is it really that advantageous for the Bear's to recklessly spend that kind of cash?  


Is he worth it?  No and yes would be the answers.

If Forte isn't happy about the position he was put in, that is just unfortunate.  Last summer while we sat nervously waiting to find out if the players and NFL Owners could divide $9 billion dollars, the players had an ample opportunity to negotiate the "franchise tag" out of the league.


My guess, this wasn't high on the priority list and was just not important to NFL players as a group, as revenue sharing and off-the-field football issues took priority.


The Bear's have Forte by the (proverbial) balls.


He isn't going anywhere for at least two seasons and by that time he will be almost 30, with roughly $20 million guarenteed from the Bear's (if they franchise him next year).  


He will have lost even more leverage at that point, and the atitude he has displayed will not help him in future contract talks.


I hope the Bear's work something out.  He is a great runner with speed and explosiveness that will compliment the style of offense Mike Tice is bringing to the Bears.