One week after he said he’ll likely skip training camp if he doesn’t receive a long-term contract, Bears running back Matt Forte conceded that he’ll be playing for Chicago this season.
“I don’t think I really have a choice, do I?” Forte said. “Yeah, I’ll be here.”
That said, when asked if he’ll report to training camp on time, Forte dodged the question while saying, “It’s going to be a fun season.” Forte and the Bears have until July 16 to come to terms on a long-term deal or else the running back will be forced to play for the franchise tag amount of $7.74 million, which is fully guaranteed.
Once July 16 comes and goes, there's no point in Forte missing camp because he'll have to play under the franchise tag or lose the $7.7 million for the season. Owners should feel confident that he'll eventually report and start for the Bears in Week 1.