Insight on the Bears contract issue with RB Matt Forte

Sean Jensen provides some quick numbers on what the Bears supposedly offered Matt Forte, and compares that to what other running backs in the league are making.  We know that Forte has made comments questioning how much the team really values him, but what sticks out to me is the direction that Jensen says this dispute could be headed:

"As a running back, you have to run, catch and block. And whatever they call on me to do, I'm prepare to do. And I've been doing that my entire career. It's not going to change now."

Until he's no longer a Bear, which looks the way things are headed.

Angelo said there's nothing new toward a deal, and Forte's agent Adisa Bakari told the Sun-Times last week that the process dragging on and on will only complicate matters.

"We've stated, from the very beginning, the longer we wait, the more difficult and complicated it becomes."

The Bears, of course, could franchise him at a projected cost of about $8 million for the 2012. But, if Forte continues to play well, they may be best served trading him to another club that will work out a contract with him.

If that happens, though, Angelo would be letting go of arguably his best draft pick - in terms of value and production - during his tenure as Bears general manager. Then, he'd have to find another productive running back.

Right now, things at Halas Hall do seem to be a bit unstable, to say the least.  However, Lovie Smith recently pointed out that, if the Bears win their next two games, they would be in the exact same position as they were at this point last year, when they won the NFC North.

Seeing the team get outplayed on both sides of the ball is discouraging, but there is still plenty of football to be played.  However, if the team does what Jensen says might be a possibility... Well, they had better have on hell of a backup plan.