After 8 seasons, Bears moving on without Matt Forte
In Bears history, only Hall of Famer Walter Payton put up better career numbers than Matt Forte among running backs.
But, after eight seasons in Chicago, Forte will be moving on now that the Bears have told him they will not pursue him when he becomes an unrestricted free agent on March 9.
Two fourth-round draft picks with the Bears, Jeremy Langford (2015) and Ka'Deem Carey (2014), are expected to replace Forte.
Forte, a two-time Pro Bowl pick, was informed of the Bears' decision earlier in the week and on Friday he bid farewell to fans on Instagram.
"Despite my wishes, my days as a member of the Chicago Bears have sadly come to an end," Forte wrote. "I was informed earlier this week from the G.M. (Ryan Pace) that they will not be attempting to re-sign me in free agency. I will remain forever grateful for my time spent in Chicago and being able to play for an organization with such a rich history.
"My only regret is not being able to win a Lombardi trophy for the best fans in all of sports. I'm excited about the next chapter of my NFL career. But, Chicago will always be home. God Bless and Bear Down!"
Forte has been a durable and versatile workhorse for the Bears since they drafted him in the second round (44th overall) out of Tulane in 2008. He missed just eight starts in a career that included 8,602 rushing yards on 2,035 carries (4.2-yard average) and 487 receptions for 4,116 yards (8.5-yard average).
But Forte turned 30 in December, an age at which most running backs, even the best ones, experience a decline in productivity. He missed three games last season with a sprained knee, and his 898 rushing yards were the fewest of his career. His 44 receptions tied his previous career low.
"We recently met with Matt to inform him we will not extend a contract offer for the 2016 season," Pace said in a statement released by the Bears. "These decisions are never easy, especially given what Matt has meant to our team and community. We have a tremendous amount of respect for him.
"Matt is one of the all-time great Bears and did an excellent job for us on and off the field last season. He was a tremendous teammate. We thank him for his professionalism and wish him the very best as he continues his career."
Langford was second to Forte last season with 537 rushing yards on 148 carries, but his 3.6-yard average per carry was a half-yard worse than Forte's 4.1. Langford also averaged 12.7 yards on 22 receptions. Carey was fourth with 159 yards on 43 carries, a 3.7-yard average.
Forte is No. 2 in franchise history in yards from scrimmage (12,718) rushing yards, receptions, 100-yard rushing games (24) and games with 150 yards or more from scrimmage (25), trailing only Payton in all five categories.
Forte (106.0 yards per game) and Payton (111.9) are the only two players in franchise history with career averages over 100 yards from scrimmage per game.
Since he entered the league, Forte leads the NFL in yards from scrimmage and games with 150 or more yards from scrimmage. In 2014, he broke the NFL single-season mark for receptions by a running back with 102 and set the franchise single-season running back record for receiving yards (808) that year.
The 6-foot-2, 218-pound Forte is one of 12 players in NFL history with 8,000 career rushing yards and 4,000 career receiving yards and is one of just five players in NFL history to have 1,200-plus yards from scrimmage in each of his first eight seasons, joining Curtis Martin, Barry Sanders, LaDainian Tomlinson and Ricky Watters.
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By the numbers: Matt Forte
Here's a glance at the statistics that running back Matt Forte compiled in his his eight seasons with the Chicago Bears:
<b>Rushing </b>2015 (13 games): 218 rushes, 898 yards (69.1 ypg), 4 TDS
2014 (16 games): 266 rushes, 1,038 yards (64.9 ypg), 6 TDS
2013 (16 games): 289 rushes, 1,339 yards (83.7 ypg), 9 TDS
2012 (15 games): 248 rushes, 1,094 yards (72.9 ypg), 5 TDS
2011 (12 games): 203 rushes, 997 yards (83.1 ypg), 3 TDS
2010 (16 games): 237 rushes, 1,069 yards (66.8 ypg), 6 TDS
2009 (16 games): 258 rushes, 929 yards (58.1 ypg), 4 TDS
2008 (16 games): 316 rushes, 1,238 yards (77.4 ypg), 8 TDS
Career (120): 2,035 rushes, 8,602 yards (71.7 ypg), 45 TDS
<b>Receiving </b>2015 (13 games): 44 rec., 389 yards (29.9 ypg), 3 TDS
2014 (16 games): 102 rec., 808 yards (50.5 ypg), 4 TDS
2013 (16 games): 74 rec., 594 yards (37.1 ypg), 3 TDS
2012 (15 games): 44 rec., 340 yards (22.7 ypg), 1 TDS
2011 (12 games): 52 rec., 490 yards (40.8 ypg), 1 TDS
2010 (16 games): 51 rec., 547 yards (34.2 ypg), 3 TDS
2009 (16 games): 57 rec., 471 yards (29.4 ypg), 0 TDS
2008 (16 games): 63 rec., 477 yards (29.8 ypg), 4 TDS
Career (120): 487 rec., 4,116 yards (34.3 ypg), 19 TDS
Source: NFL.com