Regardless of what happens this season, the Chicago Bears must start thinking about the running back position. For years, Matt Forte has been the mainstay in the backfield, keeping the offense perfectly balanced. The Bears have never had to worry about the ground game. However, that suddenly does not appear as certain as Forte is facing trade rumors while his contract is set to expire. Will that force Chicago to draft a back early?
Forte has yet to appear at practice for the Bears, something he defended on Twitter writing that he was training at another facility for the time being. However, that has not settled the trade rumors surrounding his name as Forte enters the final year of his contract and is expected to command bigger money next season. The Chicago Tribune reports that Forte is trade bait not only because of his salary cap hit, but because of his age. While he has yet to show signs of slowing down, Forte is approaching 30 which is never a good hump for a running back. It remains to be seen if he can keep the durability and production the same in the coming years.
It is uncertain if Forte will be traded or not. While the Tribune writes that it is a possibility, there has yet to be any known interest in the back. However, that is not stopping Chicago from eyeing running backs in an early round in the draft. According to NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport, the Bears are eyeing Todd Gurley and Melvin Gordon for pre-draft visits. If the team is unable to score Marcus Mariota in the draft, a running back in the first round might not be a bad idea.
The Bears also like the idea of getting a top wide receiver early as well. Most of their interest will be determined by whether or not Mariota is an option. Bleacher Report is writing the Bears are shopping Jay Cutler for a high pick in order to land Mariota. The chances of that deal happening are slim, so Chicago needs a Plan B. Getting either Gurley, Gordon or someone like Amari Cooper or Kevin White are not terrible options to at least give Cutler a chance to succeed this upcoming season.
