The Chicago Bears biggest on-field issue is...

by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Jul 27, 2011 3:00 PM CDT in Notes

Renegotiating Matt Forte's contract. Really? Let me clear the air before some knucklehead tells me what a dope I am in the comment thread... This Forte contract thingy isn't my idea, this is according to the Sporting News. While I clearly realize how important his skills are to the Bears, I don't think he's the "biggest on-field issue" for Chicago. He's under contract, there's no threat of a hold out, so they have all season to re-do his deal. Matt Forte will get his, and he'll remain a Bear. After the jump I'll blockquote what SN said...

Chicago Bears: Making Matt Forte happy. He's too important to the offense to not show him the money he deserves in a multiyear extension.

For the record I disagree with SN. Not on the fact that he should get an extension, but on the fact that it's priority #1. Here are a few things I deem more important than their Forte idea. (In no particular order):

Re-sign Olin Kreutz, Anthony Adams, & Nick Roach and/or Pisa Tinoisamoa.
Address the resigning of Caleb Hanie (he'll be back), Brian Iwuh (I hope he's back), and Corey Graham (I doubt he'll be back).
Find some warm camp bodies to play with.
Sign a free agent offensive lineman or two. (Preferably a starting quality guard)
Sign a wide receiver. (Bears fans this might be Rashied Davis)
Bolster the defensive line through free agency.

As a matter of fact, I'll bet with the truncated off season that not one team will prioritize renegotiating with a player currently under contract, unless that player is planning on holding out, and the teams believes that player is critical to their success, a la Chris Johnson.

Sporting News? Not really. Here, let me fix that for you.

Sporting ~~News~~

Sporting Un-Researched Information.

Much better...

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Comments

when your right your right nothing to debate here.

. "Most football teams are temperamental. That's 90% temper and 10% mental."
--Doug Plank

by ed_brown on Jul 27, 2011 3:15 PM CDT reply actions

Yeah, I don't care for Sporting news.

"I wouldn't ever set out to hurt someone deliberately unless it was, you know, important - like a league game or something." - Dick Butkus

What's the difference between a 3-week old puppy and a sportswriter? In six weeks the puppy will stop whining." - Mike Ditka

by Cutler6fan8 on Jul 27, 2011 3:32 PM CDT reply actions

Heres their new name ..... Sporting Noobs . See it fits like a glove .

" Everyone has a plan 'till they get punched in the mouth. " ~
Mike Tyson

by MidWayMonster54 on Jul 27, 2011 3:33 PM CDT reply actions

lol

in•san•i•ty \in-ˈsa-nə-tē\ noun
1 : The practice of repeating the same action while expecting different results.

by Timothy Hockemeyer on Jul 27, 2011 6:33 PM CDT up reply actions

With adding WR I feel Mike Sims-Walker is a gem in the rough in FA

Otherwise I too am right with you

Jay Cutler is our QB, and I for one am proud of that

by Erik Christopher Duerrwaechter on Jul 27, 2011 3:34 PM CDT reply actions

I think Jason Babin would

be a great start, and would take the pressure off of finding a top corner.

I agree a starting guard is needed (latest I heard was Willie Colon), but I think another tackle along the lines of Ryan Harris or Sean Locklear would go a long ways towards solidifying their line. I’m just not convinced that Chris Williams will be a starter anywhere ever, and I think Webb wasn’t good, he was just suprinsing in that he wasn’t train-wreck awful.

My biggest concern is they seem to have a blind-spot for the receiver position, at least for filling it with an impact player. Just as they didn’t listen when EVERYONE told them Grossman wasn’t a real starter, or that we REALLY needed a real FS for the past 5 years, or that the O-line was going to be horrific last year—they need to get over themselves and realize that Johnny Knox, Earl Bennet and Devin Hester are not a good WR crew. They may run fast in shorts, but anyone who watches games realizes they are all complementary pieces.

DEJESUS!!!

by tomas21 on Jul 27, 2011 3:45 PM CDT reply actions

Never mund

Bears are out on Babin according to Sean Jensen. They thought they could get him cheap and they can’t. Doesn’t look to be much interest in ray Edwards, maybe they could look at him.

DEJESUS!!!

by tomas21 on Jul 27, 2011 6:13 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions

I think Ray Edwards was to Jared Allen what....

Idonije was to Peppers. I honestly don’t believe it’s an upgrade.

in•san•i•ty \in-ˈsa-nə-tē\ noun
1 : The practice of repeating the same action while expecting different results.

by Timothy Hockemeyer on Jul 27, 2011 6:29 PM CDT up reply actions

I knew it!

When I saw reports that said the Bears may have to move Izzy inside if they landed Babin I instantly said “nope, not gonna happen” as I bet the Bears were looking into him as a 3rd down pass rusher (which in that case I’m all for it) but after Charles Johnson set the bar for DEs with his monster contract the Bears backed off.

Jay Cutler is our QB, and I for one am proud of that

by Erik Christopher Duerrwaechter on Jul 27, 2011 6:50 PM CDT up reply actions

Why would we extend him before FA?

Wouldn’t it be wise to see what money is needed and if there is cap room left front load his contract and save future cap space.

by TheMan1 on Jul 27, 2011 3:51 PM CDT via mobile reply actions

He should hold off till he sees who's the OL

If there’s any decent OL, Matt will be able to demand a lot more next year

"Oy Vey, everyone's repeating everything in everymanner till this lockout's over"

by BearDownIsrael on Jul 27, 2011 5:37 PM CDT reply actions

I think the opposite.

I think Matt gets more of a bump for what he did last year WITH the Matadors and Martz actively trying to keepthe ball out of his hands. What happens next year if the line holds up, the passing game clicks and Forte’s rushing ability becomes less of a factor? And even if he puts up similar numbers to this year, the argument could then be that he didn’t perform any better with a better line.

Considering the line he had to work with and the OC’s philosophy for much of the year, Forte performed exceptionally, andI think this is the smart time for him to look at an extension.

in•san•i•ty \in-ˈsa-nə-tē\ noun
1 : The practice of repeating the same action while expecting different results.

by Timothy Hockemeyer on Jul 27, 2011 6:32 PM CDT up reply actions

I wouldn't consider extending Forte to be a Top Ten issue.

I agree that it needs to be done, but there are more pressing matters, including the ones you listed.

in•san•i•ty \in-ˈsa-nə-tē\ noun
1 : The practice of repeating the same action while expecting different results.

by Timothy Hockemeyer on Jul 27, 2011 6:29 PM CDT reply actions

He is not going to hold out

So there truly isn’t a need as he still has these next 2 seasons left on his contract and if anything the Bears will probably re-sign him later this year during the season.

Jay Cutler is our QB, and I for one am proud of that

by Erik Christopher Duerrwaechter on Jul 27, 2011 6:51 PM CDT up reply actions

The Sporting News is pretty terrible

Jay Cutler is still my quarterback.
Formerly GallopingGhost

by Sam Householder on Jul 27, 2011 7:55 PM CDT reply actions

they used to have a great bunch of Bloggers...

If you go in the bathroom, turn off the lights, and say "Da Coach" 5 times while facing the mirror... Ditka will appear and slap the wussy right out of you.

by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Jul 27, 2011 9:53 PM CDT up reply actions

I was gonna say something but....

Is it truly “used to”?

Above all; keep 'em guessing, never let them lose their sense of confusion.

by Just Dave on Jul 27, 2011 10:35 PM CDT up reply actions

At least one of 'em.

Weekend contributor at Windy City Gridiron

by Steven Schweickert on Jul 28, 2011 8:18 AM CDT up reply actions

The biggest on field issue for the bears...

Would be the grassy/muddy pigpen playing surface at Soldier field, the rest is negotiable…I think the Sporting News may have just enough talent to do a decent column on this type of subject, but only after saying 10 hail Ditka’s first.

by dicksingletary on Jul 27, 2011 8:08 PM CDT via mobile reply actions

Try playing in the slush puddle that is Pittsburgh.

by Doshi on Jul 27, 2011 8:10 PM CDT up reply actions

I agree Heinz field is pretty bad

It’s the AFC’s version of soldier field

by dicksingletary on Jul 27, 2011 8:53 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions

ZING!

by BOBdaBEAR on Jul 27, 2011 8:55 PM CDT reply actions

Going to have to extend Forte at this point

Just to reach the floor. Dear Lord, are they going to sign anybody

by baseballguru589 on Jul 27, 2011 9:02 PM CDT reply actions

Patience young padawan .......

" Everyone has a plan 'till they get punched in the mouth. " ~
Mike Tyson

by MidWayMonster54 on Jul 27, 2011 10:04 PM CDT up reply actions

You maroon!

Why if we don’t get dat deal done, dat For-tay guy will quit on da team like dat oder bum Jay Cutler! Get ‘em bot’ outta here and trade our seventh for dat Payton Manning guy and our sixth for Steve Smit o’ Larry Fitzgerald, and sign dat Plaxico, we don’ need dem pouty bums! GO BEARS!

Weekend contributor at Windy City Gridiron

by Steven Schweickert on Jul 28, 2011 8:18 AM CDT reply actions