Despite their insistence that Jay Cutler is their starting quarterback, the Chicago Bears still find themselves buried in trade rumors regarding their offense. Many believe the Bears are not as committed to Cutler as they claim and could be eyeing his replacement in the draft while running back Matt Forte has a high-priced contract to his name that might be dumped before the start of the year.
The Bears showed they are not afraid to trade away long-time veterans under the new coaching and front office regime. Brandon Marhsall learned that lesson after he was sent to the New York Jets just a year after signing a new contract. Is Forte next? According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Forte is a trade target at the right price. At 29-years-old, Forte has age working against him, while his stats tell a different story. The running back put up 1,800 yards last year with 10 touchdowns and has not missed a game since 2011.
Forte is a free agent in 2016 and still carries a lot of value in the league. Running backs have been on the move this offseason, but no one has yet to take a glance at the Bears' star. Forte has a contract of $9.2 million this season and could be an excellent short-term option for a contending team. With the Bears entering a rebuilding phase, they could easily opt to shop Forte for draft picks as teams could be interested.
The Arizona Cardinals would be wise to at least ask about Forte. The running back's contract is much more manageable than Adrian Peterson's deal. They need a running back upgrade from Andre Ellington and Forte would be a solid compliment to that effort. The Atlanta Falcons could be an option as they have just Devonta Freeman holding down the rotation. With cap space left to spend, they could easily take on his contract. The San Diego Chargers would also be wise to eye a deal.
While rumors swirl around Forte leaving, there is also growing speculation that the Bears are preparing to replace Cutler. No, the quarterback will not be traded, but after 2016 his guaranteed money drops significantly. He would be easy to move past which means finding his replacement could happen this year. According to the latest mock draft from NFL.com, the Bears will select Marcus Mariota in the first round. That would mean the Tennessee Titans, Washington Redskins and New York Jets passed on him while the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns opted not to trade up. The scenario sounds unlikely which is why Chicago would be smart to scout players like Brett Hundley and Bryce Petty as backups.
