A Business Decision

The Bears announced yesterday that, after eight years, they were cutting ties with running back Matt Forte, the second leading rusher in team history after Walter Peyton.  But Forte has hit the magic age of 30, when runner often start to break down.  This was business, not personal, said Bears’ GM Ryan Pace, “given what Matt has meant to our team and our community.

The last time the Bears did something like this it involved running back Thomas Jones, who had three very good years with the team, 2004-2006.  Things worked out just fine for the 28-year old Jones, who played another five years, three with the Jets—where he rushed for between 1100 and 1400 yards a season—and two with the Chiefs.  Ironically, a year after the Bears let Thomas go, they drafted Forte.

I know, comparing baseball to football is apples and oranges, but it’s a Saturday afternoon in February, so why not?  The Forte move is as much about salary cap as it is athletic decline.  In baseball, 30-year old players get signed all the time.  A team may not want to give a six- or seven-year contract, but it wants the player for the next three seasons at least.

Like any athlete, Forte wants to be paid for the numbers he’s put up; like any team, the Bears are more interested in next year, not career stats.  In my non-football mind, I don’t see why a one- or two-year deal can’t get done, unless it’s because Forte wants to be paid like a 30-year old baseball player.  In that case, the NFL players’ union needs to fight for free agency after no more than three years in the league.  That, and an end to the salary cap, which probably brings about as many retirements for players over 30 as injuries do.