Fantasy Football - Footballguys Forums
This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
Forte long term contract (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter GregR
- Start date
Ministry of Pain
Footballguy
Michael Bush looking less and less relevant.
Dr. Octopus
Footballguy
I think he will be a TD vulture. Forte has never been a great short yardage back.
Limp Ditka
Footballguy
I know, because Forte wasn't going to play this year if he didn't ink that contract.
whitem0nkey
Footballguy
Dumb move by the Bears. they had all the leverage, should have taged him this year, next and said good bye.
$7.7 Million was all the bears had to spend. Could have used the 11M for other pieces to help the team out.
$7.7 Million was all the bears had to spend. Could have used the 11M for other pieces to help the team out.
That would have been idiotic from the standpoint that they would have lost the clubhouse. Forte played his butt off last season without a new contract (some players in similar situations become distractions or hold out) and is well respected by other players. If they didn't pay him the coaches could have lost the locker room and it would have affected their ability to retain their own free agents and also go after other team's free agents as well. If Forte had unreasonable demands then I would have agreed with you about using the franchise tag and making sure his unreasonable demands were leaked to the media next off season.'whitem0nkey said:
ukshane
Footballguy
Personally, I like Bush's chances even more now. As a former Chris Johnson, Larry Johnson, Shaun Alexander and Priest Holmes owner, I've been burned by RB's who hit a big payday and got lazy the next season. I've got a feeling there will be some "nagging" injury to Forte that will make him a weekly game time decision. From now on, I want my RB1 to be underpaid and angry about it.
Shutout
Footballguy
I'm glad he got the contract but, honestly, I am a bit surprised. I really didn't theink the historically cheap-skate bears had any incentive to break. They had the leverage and after seeing the injury to ADP and the regression to CJ after signing big contracts, it just seems there is more that tends to go against you than for you after you give a RB a ton of cash.
And these days, it seems like you can rotate a handful of guys in and out and pay them low amounts for short-term and get by with it.
Glad he got it and he's definitely the straw that stirs the drink on that team so I see his importance to the team but I really didn't think the Bears would see him in the same way that the eagles see McCoy or the Vikes see ADP.
And these days, it seems like you can rotate a handful of guys in and out and pay them low amounts for short-term and get by with it.
Glad he got it and he's definitely the straw that stirs the drink on that team so I see his importance to the team but I really didn't think the Bears would see him in the same way that the eagles see McCoy or the Vikes see ADP.
BigSteelThrill
Footballguy
I cant help to think that this really pushes his draft stock up.
Before it was a bit of injury + contract + possible Forte unhappiness with situation.
Now its just grade 2 MCL sprain from 7 months ago.
Before it was a bit of injury + contract + possible Forte unhappiness with situation.
Now its just grade 2 MCL sprain from 7 months ago.
massraider
Footballguy
He has a lot in common with Bush, then.Bush just looks like a bruiser. he isn't one.'yoman said:
Sweet Love
IBL Representative
Very good insight, yoman...and actually, whitemonekey is right too...WM is right because the Bears will not get the dollar-per-results on this particular deal, had they just put the tag on him and drafted a new kid next year to take his place. With that said, yoman is correct in that, at some point, every team needs to sign a "good guy" (both the player and the person) or else risk losing the lockerroom...not as much in a sense of losing a "leader", but the act of faith that if you play well, you will get paid. There has to be a carrot there for these guys, and if they get the feeling that even if they are a pro-bowler they will not be paid, no one will take a hometown discount when it comes to signing time.On a separate not, why don't 3rd-7th rounders include a clause in their rookie contract that they not be able to be tagged? It would likely cost them some money on the front end, but if i were a kid who just got drafted in the 4th, I would throw out a line like "hey, I am a 4th rounder. I am 1 in 2000 to get franchised, so why not just give me this clause, i will take your first offer (assuming the offer is on the table) and lets call it a day". I just don't get why agents don't throw that in there...take guys like Gates and Graham for example...their teams at that time would have been like "whatever, if we need to do this, lets just do this", and now Graham will likely face one if not two tag situations...for a guy who was a project 3rd rounder?
packseasontix
Footballguy
Lose the locker room? I think people over estimate today's teams. Very rarely do players feel loyalty to a team they go where the dollar calls them. The only reasons to not just tag him is so he doesn't hold back fearing injury and losing value next year. Also it's leverage for the owners in a few years to keep the franchise tag telling the players see only a couple guys got tagged and didn't get a new contract.
Last edited by a moderator:
massraider
Footballguy
It's a good question, but my guess is that teams wouldn't agree to it. You don't even see vets with leverage get that very often. I think the only time you see it, is when a player gets franchised.I don't think teams want to open that door. One rookie gets it, they'll all ask for it.
Limp Ditka
Footballguy
Call me crazy but I happen to be from the camp that the Bears don't want a reputation for not paying their players and for being cheap. Forte is a favorite among his teammates, has played his butt off in good faith that the franchise would reward him (gambling on himself). The Bears have even said that their #1 priority was to sign him to a long-term deal. If Forte was set on overvaluing himself and was going to break the bank than I would agree with tagging him this year and next year. If that were the case than I also would have made the negotiations public and said he wants $25-$30 mil guaranteed and we offered him $XX mil. If they didn't sign him to a long-term contract than I think he would be a distraction. After this season he would probably become even more of a distraction and hold out next season. I think it is good to keep him happy and I think he got a pretty fair deal. He is being paid right below the elite RB tier which is where he belongs. If the Bears are going to be serious contenders this year it is probably best to have a happy locker room. BTW - Maybe I am putting too much on attracting free agents but I do think sometimes reputation can be a deciding factor. I don't think many players want to go to the Bengals even though they are a pretty talented young team on the mere fact that they have one of the worst reputations for organizations. The Bulls couldn't land a free agent worth a damn after MJ retired even when they were offering more money.
