With news out of Chicago that the Bears will not attempt to re-sign Matt Forte, media and analysts have begun to foreshadow where the talented running back will land in 2016.
The Patriots seem to be the consensus early favorite. Forte has only been to the playoffs once in his seven year career and joining New England gives him as good a chance as any to return for a second time. LeGarrette Blount is a free agent, and Forte and Dion Lewis would serve as a nasty one-two punch.
The Packers are another popular choice. Eddie Lacy can’t seem to figure out if he’s a running back or a defensive lineman. Packers head coach Mike McCarthy has publicly made his frustrations known regarding Lacy’s weight issues. The thought of pairing Matt Forte with Aaron Rodgers will make defensive coordinators lose sleep. Forte would also get the opportunity to exact revenge on the Bears twice a year.
Joining the Ravens has gained some traction as well, most likely due to his connectivity to Offensive Coordinator Marc Trestman. NFL.com writer Connor Orr placed the Ravens as one of the five best landing spots for Forte.
“Forte was a force under the former Bears head coach and would love to go out with dominant numbers. The Ravens are also trusting Justin Forsett, another 30 year old, who broke his arm in Week 11 last year, with a bulk of the carries.”
Matt Forte probably has at least another year or two left in the tank and he’s one of the most productive backs over the last seven years. Joining the Ravens, though, would be a head scratching move for more than one reason.
The Ravens have a lot of holes to fill if they want to get back to the playoffs in 2016, but running back is not one of them. If anything the Ravens currently have an excess of backs. Justin Forsett (if not a cap casualty) will return as the Ravens’ lead back. Jarvorius “Buck” Allen played well when thrust into the starting role following Forsett’s injury. Terrance West played well as a change of pace back behind Allen, and Lorenzo Taliaferro will be healthy to start 2016.
Forte is also 30 years old. He has more all purpose yards than any player in that time which is impressive, but that’s largely because he’s been the focal point of the Bears offense and has consistently had a heavy workload.
It’s hard to say how much tread is left on his tires, and investing precious dollars in a running back over 30 is always a risky endeavor.
Which brings us to the biggest reason the Ravens won’t sign Forte: the Salary Cap. As of right now, the Ravens have virtually no room under the Cap. That will undoubtedly change over the next few months but that money needs to be spent somewhere besides an aging running back.
The thought of potentially signing Forte is one that may excite fans. He has been one of the best playmakers in the league over the past seven years, and the Ravens need a difference maker.
The areas of weakness on the Ravens’ roster, however, don’t match up with what Forte offers. The Ravens need help at receiver, corner, pass rusher and safety. It would make absolutely no sense to spend what little money they have on Matt Forte.
