If Bears lose Forte, time for Langford, Carey to step up
For the last eight seasons, Matt Forte has been the Bears' do-it-all running back, carrying the ball inside and outside, catching passes and helping protect the quarterback.
Talented youngsters Jeremy Langford and Ka'Deem Carey are waiting in the wings, however, and the Bears need to upgrade several other positions. That means they're not in a financial position to pay Forte top dollar, especially since he's 30 years old, which makes it unlikely that he'll be able to maintain the same lofty level of production for much longer.
Running backs
Starter: Matt Forte.
Backups: Jeremy Langford, Ka'Deem Carey.
Injured reserve: Jacquizz Rodgers, Senorise Perry.
Unrestricted free agents: Forte, Rodgers.
Forte missed three games with a sprained knee in 2015, and his 898 rushing yards were the fewest of his career, while his 44 receptions tied his previous career low. The durable and versatile former second-round pick has missed just eight starts in eight seasons, despite a heavy workload. He has carried the ball 2,035 times for 8,602 yards (4.2-yard average) and caught 487 passes for 4,116 yards (8.5-yard average).
The Bears would love to keep Forte around in a reduced role. That, however, may be a luxury they cannot afford if another team offers him a deal similar to the $12-million, three-year deal the Indianapolis Colts gave Frank Gore last off-season. Forte is 2 ½ years younger than Gore and a better all-around running back.
Both Langford (last year's fourth-round pick) and Ka'Deem Carey (a 2014 fourth-rounder) have shown flashes of greatness. But it remains a stretch to project either as Forte's equal.
Combined, though, they could provide more than enough production. Langford has a better burst, and he averaged an impressive 12.7 yards per catch as a rookie but just 3.6 yards per carry. Despite his speed, Langford had just 1 run of more than 16 yards on 148 carries, and that was a 23-yarder.
Carey is more compact and more effective between the tackles and in short-yardage situations. His longest gain this past season was 11 yards, but he had just 43 carries.
Rodgers was signed to a one-year deal as a complementary, change-of-pace back to Forte, but an elbow injury sidelined him for the season after just five games. If Forte leaves, Rodgers could provide veteran depth.
Perry was a special teams standout in 2014 with a team-high 17 tackles as an undrafted rookie, and he may have made the 2015 roster ahead of Carey were it not for a season-ending foot injury in the preseason.
Draft need: mild.
Feeling a draft: It would be a surprise to see the Bears use an early-round pick on a running back. Ohio State's Ezekiel Elliott is the consensus No. 1, and he might be the only runner taken in the first round. The position has been greatly devalued in the NFL in recent years with the proliferation of passing.
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