Julius Peppers Reportedly Recruiting Matt Forte
There’s a lot of noise about free agent running back Matt Forte joining the Green Bay Packers.
Here’s some more. Another former Chicago Bear, linebacker Julius Peppers, is reportedly recruiting Forte to join the Packers.
Word is that another ex-Bear-turned-Packer Julius Peppers has been trying to recruit Forte to Green Bay. It sounds like Forte wants to go to a contender, so perhaps the Packers could get him at an affordable price.
This move makes sense for a couple reasons.
First, James Starks is a free agent and despite a career year in 2015, we don’t see the Packers re-signing Starks. He’ll be 30 this year and while he’s a good backup, Starks cannot carry an offense. That makes Forte an upgrade.
Second, Forte brings a dimension to the offense the Packers really need — a running back that’s a great receiver.
That element alone would help open up the passing game because opposing offenses would have to cover the running back with someone other than a linebacker. That creates a mismatch somewhere, something the Packers weren’t able to create much of in 2015.
There are also a couple reasons the move doesn’t make sense.
Forte will be 31 this year and there’s no guarantee he’s going anywhere for cheap. If the Packers don’t get Forte at their price, they won’t be interested. Secondly, they could just as easily find this type of player — a running back who’s a great receiver — in the draft or elsewhere in free agency.
In that scenario, they’d be set for years to come, rather than just the season or two Forte would give them.
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Is McCarthy going to completely change his offense to utilize the pass catching abilities of Forte? And I’m not talking about lining him up as a wide receiver like McCarthy would want to do.
It would make a nice addition if he does not command too many dollars. He could even be the main back if Eddie decides to play defensive lineman. I keep mentioning the Patriots, but they make life hard on defenses with backs that are also receiving threats. With Cobb, Montgomery and Forte, we would be able to generate matchup problems almost at will.
The article last week with Lacy in the gym looking pretty svelte would have me believe he isn’t going to become a defensive lineman anytime soon.
D-line? Are you high?
There is a reason the Bears are not trying to sign Forte. A rookie from last years draft adds better value. The contract Forte wants or needs from the Bears is greater than his on field value to the Bears.
Maybe Peppers can convince Forte to lesson his contract needs to play for the Pack or Peppers may want to reduce his contract to help get Forte. It is hard to believe either will occur.
The Bears have undervalued Forte his entire career.
Maybe the Bears did undervalue Forte, however for a second round pick Forte did well. Forte averaged approximately 7.5 mil a year on his last contract. Forte signed both of the contracts so he must have been o.k with the deals. Forte is great in the passing game out of the back field. The problem is when teams blitz Forte is not good at picking up the blitz. I was O.K with that when Cutler was getting nailed by Matthews et. al. Would not like it if Rodgers was the one getting hit by free running linebackers.
He’s gonna have to be willing to take a dirt cheap contract. We’ll see but I highly doubt it
He’ll end up in Seattle. Mark it down.
Oh, I will explain my sarcasm for little Nano. Lacy was the same distance in weight to normal RBs as to a DL. Next time I’ll use crayons to explain to you… And with people like you, how come America is still the world’s top power?
Empacador, I also hope that Lacy stays that way, but past behavior plays against that. In case he balloons to DL weight, Forte could be the main back. For Starks that could prove too heavy of a load.
I hope his issue was more an indecision to commit to football. Hopefully the suspension and cutting of his partner in crime was the wake up call he needed. That photo from last week, though relatively soon after the season ended, looks very promising to what he will be when training camp rolls around.