'TwinTurbo said:
All that says is (with the exception of Tampa) that franchise QB's are hard to come by. You can go to the Super Bowl via one of two proven methods. 1) Franchise QB and stellar passing game, or 2)great defense/game manager QB/stud RB. The 49ers and Ravens were this close to executing on making the title game. The Texans could have also been contenders had Schaub not went down. It's a game of commodities, either you own a franchise QB or you don't. And since there are only a handful of those, most teams have to use option #2 as the path to the Super Bowl when all other options are limited.
Agreed. I think the problem is the Bears are stuck in between method 1 and 2. Cutler is a borderline franchise QB while Forte has arguably been their best WR, in addition to being their best RB. So they don't have a great passing game. And they don't have a top 10 defense. But they did rank top 10 in rushing and kicking FGs. So where do you invest the money if you are the Bears? You can reward Forte by paying him more and it seems like the logical thing to do, but there are so many other holes to fill. So far they are on the right track with adding Bush and B.Marshall (assuming he doesn't get suspended again). As much as I like Forte, I think the Bears should continue to offer him a contract that doesn't break the bank and continue to add quality free agents.
In todays NFL you can`t build a team around one RB. Forte is already tagged so he will be a top paid RB for this coming season.
From the Chicago Sun Times: “Just Keeping it real ... hate it or love it,’’ Forte tweeted later in the day.
It’s easy to see why the do-everything running back feels that way, especially considering he has made $3.7 million since his rookie year and is set to make $7.74 million this season with the franchise tag.
But here’s a little reminder to Forte. He wants to be treated like an elite back, but he’s more gimmick than go-to. In two of his four seasons, he wasn’t even a 1,000-yard back. He has averaged just over seven touchdowns a season, and that includes all the dump passes and screens he has gotten over the years.
When you think grind it out at the end of a game, you don’t exactly think Forte.
He’s no Adrian Peterson; he’s not Chris Johnson.
He’s just a versatile back who has taken advantage of an offense lacking a real receiver that has had to turn to him out of the backfield.
Now the Bears have a real receiver. And to Emery’s credit, they also have a real backup running back in Bush, a back they could’ve used last season when Forte couldn’t finish.
This isn’t a shut-up-and-play moment for Forte. It’s more of a shut-up-and-prove-you-deserve-elite-running-back-money moment.
Not loving it or hating it, Matt. Just keeping it real.