Injuries have been the name of the game for the Chicago Bears this season. It started with Kevin White. Martellus Bennett was the next hit and now Marquess Wilson is out for the year. During that time Matt Forte and Alshon Jeffery have also missed time for injuries. Now, the Bears season is over following a loss to the Washington Redskins and the team will begin to think about the future. With young depth forced to step up for the Bears, certain players could hurt the contract statuses of veterans.
With Bennett on injured reserve with a rib issue, Zach Miller has stepped up in his place and has been thriving as a result. The tight end had five catches for 85 yards and a touchdown in Week 14. That was his fourth touchdown in the past six games which is better than what Bennett was doing this year. Playing on an expiring contract, the Bears could be forced to decide between re-signing Miller or keeping Bennett.
According to Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune, there is a belief that Bennett could be done with the Bears. The tight end's season has not gone to plan. He held out last offseason demanding a new contract. He then followed that up with down numbers from a year ago. Bennett created even more negative headlines making it known he was unhappy with his role on the Bears and that did not sit well with head coach John Fox. Bennett signed a four-year deal worth $20.4 million in 2013 and it currently has no more guaranteed money included in it. Cutting Bennett would be easy for Chicago.
The biggest factor to Bennett's future could be the contract demands of Miller. The tight end has been playing on an expiring contract and is quickly proving he can be a true starter for a team. It remains to be seen if the Bears will be that team in question. With big contracts needed to players like Alshon Jeffery, the Bears have to be wise with how they spend their money.
Jeremy Langford is another player that could hurt the future of someone else. The running back was a breakout star when Forte injured his knee and has since fooled off with the return of the veteran. However, the Bears saw was like without their leading rusher looks like and it was not bad. Forte has been a constant threat on the field, but he is approaching 30 and the Bears will not meet high contract demands. Forte is aware that his future might not include Chicago as he doubts the Bears offer him an extension come the offseason.
"There's nothing I can do, really, except play football," Forte said, via the Chicago Sun Times. "The decision on whether I stay or whether I go is not really up to me. It's whether I get offered a contract extension, which I haven't been offered one and doesn't really look like it (will happen)."