New York Jets: It’s time for Matt Forte to go
By Nick Zaccone
Ever since signing him in 2016, Matt Forte has been borderline disappointing for the New York Jets offense.
Rebuild, right? That’s what the New York Jets are laying the groundwork for. Matt Forte‘s age is starting to get the best of him, as he is not the player he one was in Chicago. The Jets need to find a way to trade him this offseason before the situation gets worse.
When it happened, Matt Forte’s signing seemed like an incredible move. A year prior, he was coming off a third consecutive 1,000-yard season. His next two seasons would see a little over 800 rushing yards, one of those seasons with the Jets. Since then, he hasn’t been much of a difference maker in the backfield. While this is partially due to a below average offensive line, it is primarily the result of injuries and age.
Only playing 7 games out of 10 so far this season, Forte has put up numbers that are bound to decline. Bilal Powell age 29, is more than ready to take the lead role in the backfield until Maccagnan can find a younger replacement. Elijah McGuire, in the time that he’s been given, has been a pleasant surprise for New York’s offense. If given more opportunities, he could potentially produce some decent numbers.
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The fact of the matter is, Powell and McGuire are two capable running backs. With Matt Forte’s decline imminent, it would be best to attempt to get some value for him at the season’s end. Most likely, a late round pick would be the best the Jets get in return. Even if it only clears cap space, it’s not a terrible move.
If Macc ends up unable to pull off a trade involving Forte, then it wouldn’t pay to release him. His salary is roughly $4 million a year. Not major money, but significant if New York wants to do some spending in March. If there’s no trade, it would be best to ride out the rest of his contract, hopefully with a younger and more talented runner ahead of him in the depth chart.
If Maccagnan wanted to find running phenom for Gang Green, where would he find one? Perhaps Saquon Barkley out of Penn State is an option if the Jets miss out on a quarterback at a high draft position. He seems set to become a top runner in the NFL, posting Heisman-contending numbers this year for the Nittany Lions.
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In free agency, the Jets may not have the money to go after Le’Veon Bell, especially if they go all-in on Kirk Cousins. However, if Cleveland doesn’t franchise tag him, Isaiah Crowell could be a nice addition to New York’s backfield. He’s had a bit of a decline so far from last season’s near 1,000-yard rushing performance, however. This is partially due to the increased role of Duke Johnson, still making Crowell a viable option for the lead back role.
Matt Forte is becoming more and more ineffective as the seasons go by. Whether he stays or goes, Maccagnan should address the lead back role in the near future.