Matt Forte would be the perfect Patriot at running back

Matt Forte shakes hands with Bears fans after a game against the Lions on Jan. 3, 2016 at Soldier Field. Getty Images

By Erik Frenz @ErikFrenz

February 13, 2016

2 minutes to read

COMMENTARY

The Patriots can be unpredictable during the offseason because they are as focused on finding talented players as they are about finding good deals. The search for balance in those two areas becomes much easier when a soon-to-be free-agent like running back Matt Forte says he would rather play for a winning organization than play for top dollar.

“It’s not even about the money,’’ Forte said on NFL Network during Super Bowl week. “I want to be in Super Bowls.’’

Forte announced in an Instagram post on Friday that his days with the Chicago Bears have come to an end, immediately leading to speculation about his next team. For any player interested in reaching the Super Bowl, the Patriots would seem an intriguing option.

[fragment number=0]

The 30-year-old, eight-year veteran is coming off the worst year of his career, but he still put up 218 carries for 898 yards (4.1 yards per carry) and four rushing touchdowns, along with 44 receptions for 389 yards and three receiving touchdowns. Forte missed three games due to a sprained MCL, and was no longer the feature back for the Bears, with Jeremy Langford cutting into his carries.

Forte had two of the most productive seasons in his career from 2013-2014 with a combined 3,779 yards from scrimmage and 22 total touchdowns. But, at his age, it’s never safe to assume he can reclaim his old glory. For the Patriots, it would be important to get him on a team-friendly deal. The Patriots have long focused on bang-for-the-buck running backs, either through the draft or on small free-agent contracts.

Forte has generally been very durable, missing just eight regular-season games in his career. If he’s healthy, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick knows what kind of player Forte can be.

[fragment number=1]

Is there anything Forte can’t do? Not really, which is why he would be such a great addition to the Patriots’ backfield.

Say, for example, the Patriots don’t bring back free-agent running back LeGarrette Blount. Forte can take on some of Blount’s duties as a between-the-tackles hammer. Certainly, he’ll be better at that job than Steven Jackson was in his limited time with the Patriots in 2015. According to Pro Football Focus, Forte averaged 2.24 yards after contact per carry last season (compared to 3.27 for Lewis and 2.44 for Blount).

There’s also the possibility that third-down running back Dion Lewis doesn’t recover immediately, or perfectly, from the torn ACL he suffered in Week 9 of the 2015 season. Forte has proven to be one of the more prolific pass-catching running backs in the league, and has never recorded fewer than 40 receptions in a season.

Forte’s versatility established his central role in Chicago. In a Patriots offense that changes so frequently, he could be called on use his varied skills at various times. On top of those aforementioned skills, though, he also has another important strength: ball security. He has fumbled just twice in each of the past five years despite touching the ball 1,540 times (1,224 rushes, 316 receptions). Since 2008, he is one of just four players with more than 2,000 rush attempts, and the only one of them with 20 fumbles or fewer.

Forte has a skill set that will have teams salivating at the thought of signing him. He’s likely to have his pick of employer, but it would hardly come as a shock if the Patriots were among the teams that he is interested in. It would be equally unsurprising if the interest was mutual.