The Chicago Bears will avoid having to pay running back Matt Forte the franchise tag, and Forte will avoid having to hold out. Multiple outlets are reporting that both parties agreed to a four year contract Monday, the deadline day.
Now the Bears will not have to pay Forte $7.74 million.
The Bears signed veteran running back Michael Bush to a four-year, $12 million contract ($7 million guaranteed) as insurance — a move Forte thought was disrespectful. You remember all the tweets about it. Bush got the bulk of the first-team carries in OTAs with Forte out of the mix with Kahlil Bell working as the number two.
Forte has 21 touchdowns on 1,014 career carries. He averaged a career-best 4.9 yards per carry last season. He finished just three yards shy of a another 1,000 yard season, and was named to another Pro Bowl despite missing the final four games due to injury.
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