Potential Patriots: RB Matt Forte (UFA)

James White was the only silver lining on offense down the stretch of the season and everyone around here is anxious to get rid of him? Yep, it must be the offseason.

VrabelJr said:

James White was the only silver lining on offense down the stretch of the season and everyone around here is anxious to get rid of him? Yep, it must be the offseason.

Click to expand...

Patsfans.com poster wildly overrating a player based upon outlier numbers? Yeah, must be business as usual.


And "the only silver lining on offense" is brilliant comedy.

Can he protect the passer?

PatsFanSince74 said:

Can he protect the passer?

Click to expand...

Yes. He is very reliable in that respect.

Forte's goose is cooked....a lot of reps.....if you can get for a 1 year , Steven Jackson kind of deal great....otherwise....pass!

TBR said:

30 years old. Definitely has a good year or two left in the tank.

Very consistent, durable, versatile, 3 down running back.

Career averages: 1075 rushing yards, 60 receptions (2015 was a down year with 898 & 44, but missed 3 games)

Great attitude and great guy. Very fit to be a New England Patriot.




Some 2015 Highlights:

Click to expand...

Blount is done.... Did great while here but his time has passed

Simple Jack's Brother said:

Blount did not look good this year. Granted, our run blocking was terrible, but he never really made yards for himself and appeared to miss the hole the few times it appeared.

White is younger, will be cheaper on his rookie contract than LGB, and showed more promise than I think a lot of us anticipated. Do I want White in a starting role? Absolutely not. He's terrible between the tackles, but he showed he can play the Vereen role very competently and Lewis will be back as well next year.

I think literally anyone we sign to for the big back role can and/or would be better than Blount this year. We'll see how FA and the draft shake out, but I don't particularly want to see Blount back at all, let alone swapping him for James White.

Click to expand...

KontradictioN said:

Perhaps the Pats can bring both Blount and White back and try to improve on Bolden.

Click to expand...

What?! Bolden is a ST only....white is marginal.....Blount is toast.....time to reboot

You're unrelentingly stupid

Blount mailed it in this season. Started running upright again, didn't fight for yards. He's a talented runner when everything is going right for him, wouldn't mind him sticking around but if we have a chance to upgrade with a more proven , more versatile vet like Forte ..it truly is a no brainer imo.

For the record I wouldn't let White go... Forte/Lewis/White/Winner of Develin vs. Iosefa/Bolden for this offense IMO is a solid group.

Forte and Lewis alone , would be one of the very best duos in the league... Two guys who can tote the rock , two guys who can catch and two guys who can pick up blitzes/Pass rushers well.

KontradictioN said:

If the money is right, this is an absolute no brainer.

Click to expand...

That's one Hell of a Qualification to follow with "absolute No Brainer", but duly noted.

If the Money's right, almost any Deal is "an absolute No Brainer."

I'd be interested in y'all saying what you'd pay Forte.

KontradictioN said:

Imagine a line-up with Gronk, Edelman, Amendola/Lafell/improvement at either TE2 or WR, with Lewis and Forte in the backfield. Yikes. You cannot key on run or pass and those options, if Brady is given time, would be borderline indefensible. Unlike before 2013, I honestly believe that Forte will wind up a Patriot this offseason and Blount will be allowed to walk.

Click to expand...

You've essentially described my best case scenario and have kept in line with BB's scorched earth approach to losing to Peyton in January.

Off The Grid said:

I'd be interested in y'all saying what you'd pay Forte.

Click to expand...

I think the Gore deal with Indy is the most instructive example for a "comp" player....3 yrs/$12m. Maybe with the cap going up a Forte deal would be a bit north of that, maybe the 2nd/3rd year dollar commitments are lessened, I don't know. But that kind of ballpark for total value I think gets it done. He's on record saying it's about winning, he knows he's not a 27 yr old load back, he hasn't taken nearly the beating people assume him to based on touches because he's big but shifty, and he's Brady-level crazy about fitness and nutrition.

I love the guy he does everything really really well. Would I pay him 4/$24m or something like that? No. I just don't think there's any basis to assume that's what he'll demand. As someone said way earlier, I have no doubt they'll call him. I don't think he'll find a better fit for what he's looking for. Even at "market rate" (which as I said I think Gore is the comp, not Lynch or Murray) he's a steal.

Gronk said:

I think the Gore deal with Indy is the most instructive example for a "comp" player....3 yrs/$12m. Maybe with the cap going up a Forte deal would be a bit north of that, maybe the 2nd/3rd year dollar commitments are lessened, I don't know. But that kind of ballpark for total value I think gets it done. He's on record saying it's about winning, he knows he's not a 27 yr old load back, he hasn't taken nearly the beating people assume him to based on touches because he's big but shifty, and he's Brady-level crazy about fitness and nutrition.

I love the guy he does everything really really well. Would I pay him 4/$24m or something like that? No. I just don't think there's any basis to assume that's what he'll demand. As someone said way earlier, I have no doubt they'll call him. I don't think he'll find a better fit for what he's looking for. Even at "market rate" (which as I said I think Gore is the comp, not Lynch or Murray) he's a steal.

Click to expand...

Excellent Response, Brother Gronk.

I'm intrigued that you zeroed in on Gore, of all Players, for that is precisely who came to mind with me, as well: A genuine FlexBack, almost as dynamic as Forte, who excelled both in the Running Game and the Passing Game, who played a long Time for one Team, who cranked out plenty of Volume every Year, but who hit 30 with some Tread left, because his Carries were always reasonable.

meatface said:

Talent trumps youth, Brady will tell you that too

Click to expand...

My point is, how many 30+ year old running back additions turn out to be "good" signings?

You look at a lot of these guys that have been the main ball carriers getting 250-300 carries a year and their bodies just don't hold up long once they get around 30.

Marshall Faulk, Edgerrin James, LT, Shaun Alexander, Jamal Lewis, Larry Johnson, Eddie George, etc.

You saw it here first hand with Corey Dillon.

With the way most teams use committees now, you see guys lasting a little longer these days. And you're always going to have the Adrian Peterson freaks of nature.

But Forte has been one of these guys ridden into the ground over the last 8 years getting 250-300 carries and 40-50 catches per year. That wears on the body. And you can see it when he plays. He is not the same player he was 5 years ago.

I'm not prepared to go out and throw a decent chunk of change on a guy whose best years are behind him. If he wants to sign a cheaper one year deal to chase a Super Bowl, I'm okay with that. But some of the salary suggestions I've seen thrown around for an aging back are too expensive for my liking.

Personally, I'd rather draft/sign a younger guy and commit to him longer term. Find a guy you like in the middle rounds of the draft, bring him in, and commit to him. Kind of like they did with Ridley and Vereen. Spend some draft capital in round 3 on a starting RB rather than taking special teamers like Duron Harmon.

BillBelichickFan79 said:

My point is, how many 30+ year old running back additions turn out to be "good" signings?

Click to expand...

Just last off-season there was 2... Gore and D'Angelo Williams.

If they can get Forte for a $2m deal I'd hope they do it. $3m might be pushing it though.

TBR said:

Just last off-season there was 2... Gore and D'Angelo Williams.

If they can get Forte for a $2m deal I'd hope they do it. $3m might be pushing it though.

Click to expand...

I would not consider Gore a good signing last off-season. He averaged a career low 3.7 yards per carry. In the handful of Colts games i saw, he looked close to done. Clearly not a difference maker anymore.

Deangelo was a solid signing. He stepped in and played well for Bell. But he has not shouldered the load that Forte has over the years. He played in a committee with Jonathan Stewart for the majority of his career which has helped keep him fresher.

Personally, I'd rather pluck a guy from the draft. You've got all around guys like Ezekiel Elliot. You've got physical between the tackles runners like Tra Carson and Jordan Howard. You've got your shifty explosive little third down backs like Aaron Green and DeAndre Washington who can catch the ball. All with younger fresher legs and bodies.

The pro guy that excites me is RFA Christine Michael. A clear talent that is young and has five good years ahead of him. Can run from the shotgun and from traditional sets.

I just want to invest in someone young. No more Fred Taylor, Sammy Morris, Lamont Jordan, Steven Jackson type of stuff.

BillBelichickFan79 said:

My point is, how many 30+ year old running back additions turn out to be "good" signings?

Click to expand...

TBR said:

Just last off-season there was 2... Gore and D'Angelo Williams.

Click to expand...

BillBelichickFan79 said:

I would not consider Gore a good signing last off-season. He averaged a career low 3.7 yards per carry. In the handful of Colts games i saw, he looked close to done. Clearly not a difference maker anymore.

Click to expand...

Yep.

When it happened, I called the Gore Signing a Dumb Ass Mistake.

Turned out: I was right.

VectorPrime said:

You're unrelentingly stupid

Click to expand...

He's a troll

Off The Grid said:

Yep.

When it happened, I called the Gore Signing a Dumb Ass Mistake.

Turned out: I was right.

Click to expand...

So did I but that doesn't mean Forte would be. They traded for Dillon when he was 30 and out was a great move. I would give Forte 16 for 3 with 12 guaranteed and I think, it would be money very well spent and do, Moyer footer their OL than any OL ever could.

BillBelichickFan79 said:

I would not consider Gore a good signing last off-season. He averaged a career low 3.7 yards per carry. In the handful of Colts games i saw, he looked close to done. Clearly not a difference maker anymore.

Deangelo was a solid signing. He stepped in and played well for Bell. But he has not shouldered the load that Forte has over the years. He played in a committee with Jonathan Stewart for the majority of his career which has helped keep him fresher.

Personally, I'd rather pluck a guy from the draft. You've got all around guys like Ezekiel Elliot. You've got physical between the tackles runners like Tra Carson and Jordan Howard. You've got your shifty explosive little third down backs like Aaron Green and DeAndre Washington who can catch the ball. All with younger fresher legs and bodies.

The pro guy that excites me is RFA Christine Michael. A clear talent that is young and has five good years ahead of him. Can run from the shotgun and from traditional sets.

I just want to invest in someone young. No more Fred Taylor, Sammy Morris, Lamont Jordan, Steven Jackson type of stuff.

Click to expand...

Christine Mitchell sucks and most of the RBs not named Gurley in last year's draft class also sucked. I'll take a Veteran back who can get it done without question over a draft pick.