New York Jets Rumors: Jets Looking to Deal Matt Forte

As New York Jets running back Matt Forte enters the waning seasons of his career, the Jets are reportedly looking to deal him away before the 2017 season and shed yet another veteran contract.

The New York Jets are looking into trading away veteran running back Matt Forte before they have to cut down the roster this weekend.

Other than Forte, General Manager Mike Maccagnan shed every big name player on the roster this offseason in order to start from scratch and rebuild through the draft.

It is confirmed that the younger Bilal Powell will be taking the lead role in the backfield this season so the Jets are likely trying to shed more money and put more focus on grooming Powell.

Forte will be turning 32 later this season and is entering his 10th NFL season and what would be his second as a Jet. After former starting running back Chris Ivory signed with Jacksonville, the New York Jets went out and landed the illustrious former Chicago Bear on a three-year deal worth $12 million last offseason.

CLEVELAND, OH – OCTOBER 30: Matt Forte (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

Forte initially seemed like the key to what the Jets needed to succeed after 2015. There seemed to be veteran talent in every area of the lineup, but players did not perform up to expectations and the “Gang Green” subsequently tanked.

He started the first couple games of 2016 as the force the New York Jets expected him to be, but the candle quickly burned out and Forte had arguably the worst campaign of his nine-year career.

Forte was merely a shadow of his former self as he had only the fifth-best touchdown total of his career with eight and a career-low in rushing yards with a mediocre summation of 813.

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On the other hand, the up-and-coming Powell did not reach those numbers, as he logged only 722 yards and five touchdowns. However, things seemed to be leaning his way by the latter part of last season which foreshadowed what to expect this year regarding the Jets backfield.

Powell is only a few years younger at 28, but as he heads into his seventh NFL season, he has shown a positive trajectory over his career with the Jets, has entered his prime, and is therefore ready for the load.

The veteran Forte also dealt with knee issues down the stretch as it became a problem in Week 15 and eventually caused him to be placed on injured reserve, forcing him to miss the last two games of the season.

It was then discovered that Forte tore his meniscus and he went in for surgery in January following the conclusion of the New York Jets season. Forte’s knees have been a problem since 2013, and now that he is in his 30’s and past the age of the average NFL running back, the problem might not go away.

With Forte having inevitable maintenance problems and the Jets clear plan to roll with Powell as the workhorse back, there may not be a point to keeping Forte around, especially with his hefty contract.

Although it is a plus for Forte’s trade value that he is now healthy, it will be a challenge for the Jets to deal him due to his $4 million guaranteed salary at age 31.

#Jets have gauged trade market for RB Matt Forte, who’s healthy now, per sources. But it’d be very tough to move his $4M guaranteed salary.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 29, 2017

If the Jets want to trade Forte, now would be the time as there are teams with Super Bowl aspirations that could use him.

The New York Jets could also still receive something lucrative in return before the season starts as may not be the case once the season kicks off and his value possibly diminishes.

Next: Why Jets Need to Give Sheldon Richardson More Playing Time

It will be interesting to see in the coming days if the New York Jets can find a trade partner for Matt Forte. If they can’t, the Jets will have to decide whether Forte is worth keeping on the roster or releasing by the time rosters must be cut down to 53 on Saturday.

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