Eyes On Matt Forte
August 29th, 2017
“Jason, just win now, baby.”
Sober NFL observers can see the Jets are tanking for the No. 1 overall pick.
It got real clear when New York cut or traded high performers, including Bucs kicker Nick Folk, and then named Josh McCown their starting quarterback along with hatching big plans for Austin Seferian-Jackwagon.
And now it seems there is one more piece to shuffle in order to complete the Jets’ train-wreck season: running back Matt Forte.
Forte, 31, was ridiculously overused by the Jets last season and burned out. He had 67 carries and nine receptions through the first three weeks of 2016, and he was impressive with three touchdowns and 261 yards — all on the ground.
By the end of November, Forte already had 197 carries with five games to play. His 30-year-old body had taken too much of a pounding. He was a non-factor from then on and missed games late with injuries. One of the most versatile and durable running backs in NFL history was a beaten man on a garbage team.
But Forte is revived and ready for 2017. Joe heard him talk on SiriusXM NFL Radio recently about how he still runs hills and goes through his grueling offseason training regimen in Chicago.
Also, Forte was showcased by the Jets on Sunday in their Preseason Game 3 against the Giants. He finished with 10 carries for 43 yards.
Joe has heard that the Bucs were looking hard at Forte in free agency last season, just in case they couldn’t work out a deal with Doug Martin. At the last minute before free agency began, the Bucs re-signed Martin.
So what about Forte now? The Jets appear serious about dumping him and he wouldn’t command much in a trade.
Joe has given a thumbs-up to a hypothetical trade of a second-round pick for LeSean McCoy. And Joe would be fine with the Bucs dumping, say, a fifth-round pick for Forte.
He’s a good football player and teammate, and Joe believes this Bucs offense is at a point where it shouldn’t be patient when it comes to adding ammunition for a fast start to this season.
August 29th, 2017 at 2:36 pm
no thanks
August 29th, 2017 at 2:39 pm
GM Joe strikes again!
Trade a 5th round pick for a 31 year old running back who is making slightly north (4 million) of what Adrian Peterson and just less than Eddy Lacy is making for the Saints and Seahawks who required no compensation. Amaaaazing deal Joe, you think we can trade for Darelle Revis to make up for the travesty of cutting him a few years ago? I know you loved that deal as well. Oh he’s a free agent because his career is shot? Ooops.
That was funny, Tom. Revis was just fine when he left the Bucs. Joe is interested in winning a Super Bowl. You are worried about accounting and other teams.–Joe
August 29th, 2017 at 2:42 pm
Nothing says we are tanking the season like naming Josh McCown your starter.
August 29th, 2017 at 2:42 pm
I’d give a ninth round pick for forte but ask them want they want for Big Cat Leonard Williams. Give them a second (which we have no idea how to use) and a gallon of ice cream for the young 3tech who coincidentally outperformed one of the top 5 DTs in the league last year by a wide margin.
August 29th, 2017 at 2:44 pm
Pass on the 31 year old running back… You know who was 31 when the Bucs signed him… Charlie Garner.
August 29th, 2017 at 2:46 pm
I don’t know about this one Joes… 31, coming off injuries and didn’t spend preseason or camp with us? He won’t be fully geared up until week 4 or so and by that time we should have Dougie Fresh back… save the roster spot, the late round pick, and the cap space Boys… get a true blue chipper in the 2018 draft
Speak softly and carry a big MUF^€£IN STICK!!!
Go Bucs
August 29th, 2017 at 2:49 pm
Should have signed AP when he took a group photo with our starting offense but wtf do I know?
August 29th, 2017 at 2:51 pm
Hmm
August 29th, 2017 at 2:52 pm
What DB55 said
August 29th, 2017 at 3:00 pm
I thought the Glazers are anti old RBs
August 29th, 2017 at 3:00 pm
Joe’s got his big Mother F**king stick out.
He’s just using it to stir the pot.
August 29th, 2017 at 3:01 pm
Tank McCown…..I like that.
And Joe, please get over your obsession with past-their-prime players.
August 29th, 2017 at 3:05 pm
Trade Snoop’s boy for Forte…
August 29th, 2017 at 3:15 pm
“I’d give a ninth round pick for forte but ask them want they want for Big Cat Leonard Williams. Give them a second (which we have no idea how to use) and a gallon of ice cream for the young 3tech who coincidentally outperformed one of the top 5 DTs in the league last year by a wide margin.”
——–
If only Leonard Williams was a 3 technique. More proof you have no idea what you are talking about. He’s a 3-4 DE.
August 29th, 2017 at 3:25 pm
“Joe believes this Bucs offense is at a point where it shouldn’t sit be patient when it comes to adding ammunition for a fast start to this season.”
I could not agree with you more Joe. A fast start would be refreshing and very helpful with a tough October Schedule.
Next question…..who gets cut at RB position if Forte is signed for a draft pick?
August 29th, 2017 at 3:29 pm
You think forte would help this team? Hes not even a starter in NY . Sure yeah that sounds lime a great way to win football games!!!! WTF?
Open your eyes. –Joe
August 29th, 2017 at 3:29 pm
You got me curious with your stats Joe. Forte rushed 218 times for 813 yds in 14 games last year … 3.7 ypg average. That’s roughly one-half yard less than his average of 4.2 ypg for the 8 yrs he played with Chicago. Rodgers & Barber both averaged better than Forte did last yr, running behind a circumspect OLine. With Martin coming back strong (thus far at least), Bucs should probably pass on Forte & stick with who we have at RB.
First, whatever stats Joe typed up are accurate. Second, you just can’t compare Barber’s numbers to Forte in 2016. Not enough carries for Barber.–Joe
August 29th, 2017 at 3:30 pm
A 5th round pick? How about a 7th? And then you have to cut a younger player that could be part of the team for years… I’m not sure they want to get rid of Peyton Barber. They spent a 5th on McNichols and he might be on the way out anyway, but I think they’d rather see what he could be in the future. Joe’s approach to the mythical 2 year window is to unload the future for the present. Foek that sh!t.
Jiminy Christmas! Joe floated a fifth-round pick as a hypothetical trade. And that should be late fifth-rounder in 2018. The odds of that pick being meaningful is probably 1 in 4. Second, our beloved Bucs unloaded the future for the present and won a Super Bowl, in case you don’t remember. Regardless, adding Forte (however he is added) could help the Bucs win one more game, Joe believes. And that game could make a difference in the future of the franchise. Forte had a good preseason.–Joe
August 29th, 2017 at 3:32 pm
It’s no wonder Joe is stuck on his narrow window nonsense. Every personnel move he’d make would guarantee that the team declines once the window passes.
Silliness. Heck, if the Bucs drafted Dalvin Cook instead of Justin Evans, you’d be doing jumping jacks right now.-Joe
August 29th, 2017 at 3:33 pm
How do you keep the window open? KEEP DEVELOPING YOUNG PLAYERS.
How to sink the future? Hire Joe as GM.
August 29th, 2017 at 3:40 pm
Winning? Tiger blood? Howard doesn’t think Forte has these anymore.
August 29th, 2017 at 3:45 pm
No.
No.
No.
The grass not always greener.
Stick with the team chemistry you have now. RB did not cost the Bucs
the playoffs last year.
August 29th, 2017 at 3:54 pm
Joe trying to put together an all over the hill gang. Roddy White and Matte
Forte would be the sputtering stars.
If you recall, and it’s in the archives, it was the Bucs who sought Roddy White and he turned them down. All Joe did was suggest White be brought in immediately for a workout and a strong look. And it turned out they did talk to him. Kudos to the organization. –Joe
August 29th, 2017 at 4:00 pm
I like our backs.
If they want to win- they better be shopping for a De
August 29th, 2017 at 4:02 pm
Hmmm
August 29th, 2017 at 4:04 pm
Key word there is when he left the Bucs. He had an entire season to rehab his knee in Tampa!
So we got to pay for a year of his rehab, while dumping a 1st round draft pick that could potentially have played on this team for 5, 6, 7+ years….. Oh please sign me up for another deal like that!
LOL Joe. You wanna trade for a 31 year old running back? And then you just spelled out how bad he was at the end of last season after all that wear and tear.
Bucs wouldn’t need Forte to carry that kind of load. –Joe
August 29th, 2017 at 4:20 pm
Well of course not, but my point is that the wear and tear is already there. Plus he had a lot of mileage on him already from his Chicago days.
Maybe, maybe take a flier and trade a 7th rounder but anything more is far too valuable for what would essentially be 1 season at most from Forte.
August 29th, 2017 at 4:21 pm
this would be the RB equivalent of re-signing VJax – great team guy who you hope still has a body capable of NFL things, but he probably doesn’t. so he takes up cap space (no big deal) and a roster spot (much bigger deal) and not much of the stat sheet
August 29th, 2017 at 4:21 pm
It seems like Joe only dislikes old running backs if their name is Doug Martin. I wanted Forte when Lovie came over and brought his Bears cast offs with him. Forte would’ve been the best of them, but the only trade we should be making right now is to help our right tackle situation or our pass rush. Anything else would be a luxury trade.
Wrong! Joe dislikes unproductive, unreliable running backs regardless of the name on the back of the jersey. –Joe
August 29th, 2017 at 4:23 pm
Our chance to get a capable vet was missed when we let New Orleans sign AP. Forte is no AP.
August 29th, 2017 at 4:30 pm
“Matt Forte, Running Back Du Jour”
August 29th, 2017 at 4:38 pm
Joe dislikes unreliable backs so much he spent the whole offseason begging the Bucs to sign injury prone child beating Adrian Peterson.
Makes sense
WRONG! Joe begged for the Bucs to take a serious look at him. Sorry you don’t understand the difference. Heck, Jameis said he would love to play with him after training with him for a few days.–Joe
August 29th, 2017 at 5:03 pm
In a nutshell….we all saw probs at the RB position. Shoulda just signed A.P!
August 29th, 2017 at 5:12 pm
I can’t believe that some are still wanting AP!!! AP is no AP cautiousoptimism!!! I would not trade McNicols for AP!!!!!!!
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/0ap3000000835492/Every-Adrian-Peterson-play-Preseason-Week-3?icampaign=%22search-video-adrian+peterson%22
I will wait until we unveil the “real” offense, then we can evaluate the run game!!!!!! And the short dump off pass will be part of the run game this Year!!! The 4 vert evolution continues!!!!!!!!!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
August 29th, 2017 at 5:24 pm
I like Joe’s thinking. The Buc’s are on the brink of something special, when you are close you make a couple moves for “right now production”. Don’t see how trading a late round draft pick that probably won’t make it cost us our future.
I for one have not been overwhelmed by Peyton Barber nor McNichols thus far, I’d take the aging veteran Forte in a heartbeat, can do nothing but help us to be better.
August 29th, 2017 at 5:49 pm
The running game isnt there in the preseason, outside of a couple Martin runs. We likely need someone, just a matter of, how bad do we need them. We play pretty poor pass defenses the first two weeks. The Vikings are one of the best defenses regardless…..so we may not need one, but if a sensible deal came a long then I wouldn’t be opposed.
August 29th, 2017 at 6:07 pm
Agree that a fifth round pick has little face value and worth Forte for a year but I’m not so sure our GM feels that way about a draft choice.
Jason makes a move in most(all?) drafts to get players he really wants in the top rounds. He hurts his ability to improve the team through drafts when he trades away bargaining chips.
Another part of the equation is how comfortable they are with Quizz and Barber handling the lead role when needed. If they feel very comfortable with those 2 there is little need to trade for a rental player….if they have little confidence with Quizz and Barber then trading for Forte is a neccisity
August 29th, 2017 at 6:19 pm
Tough crowd tonight Joe ! The team did not adequately address the RB situation this off season , nor the D-line . Swaggy sure does not give me a good feeling all things considered so far . Sure as hell hate to have to end up counting on Martin to be the man . What a pile of dung we have to deal with at RB . Hopefully Winston can carry this team , seems our best hope at this point .
August 29th, 2017 at 6:27 pm
Love your site , Joe, but you’re like the sister who keeps bringing girls home to meet her brother because she can’t stand her brother’s girlfriend
August 29th, 2017 at 6:49 pm
With the logjam at LB it would have made sense to draft RB Samaje Perine. I still say the priority is at CB.
August 29th, 2017 at 6:52 pm
Hey, remember when Joe hadn’t heard the nickname Megatron for CJ and thought that Ayers invented the word “beasting”?
Why make stuff up?–Joe
August 29th, 2017 at 6:57 pm
This team could just as easily take a step back this year as they could a step forward. This isn’t the season to go drunkin sailor and sign a bunch of old guys to push us over a hump that might not exist yet.
A team that hasn’t been to the playoffs in a decade and all the sudden they’re on the cusp of a Super Bowl? It might be time to slow the role a little bit until the season starts. Someone like Forte will still be available three or four weeks into the season.
Barber should get alot of work Thursday night, then we’ll see if it’s worth looking outside the organization for help. I can’t imagine Forte would be more effective than Rodgers or Sims at this point.
August 29th, 2017 at 7:02 pm
Why are so many people saying we need a DE? Noah Spence and Robert Ayers are fine by me.
August 29th, 2017 at 7:05 pm
Matt Jones/Redskins Can be had for free Saturday. Give a 7th round because we will never get him on waivers! Start using your head people! Matt Forte? Sounds like something JOE would say. Lol.
August 29th, 2017 at 7:07 pm
Bob…..Noah Spence gets taken out of plays too easily and Ayers is good but not in the passrush dept.
August 29th, 2017 at 7:10 pm
Funny how you continue to come back to JoeBucsFan.com. What does that make you? –Joe
August 29th, 2017 at 7:23 pm
I don’t know about this move. I don’t think it changes our season.
But I’m growing weary of the negative Debbies who claim we should be happy and feel lucky if we finally make the playoffs.
Both the Panthers and the Falcons has LOSING seasons before their SB years.
We had a winning team that played a lot better in the second half of the season than the first half.
#3 is doing a great job of changing the culture of this team…how long do we suppose until he changes the loser culture of a significant number of “fans” who post here?
August 29th, 2017 at 7:41 pm
I like the matt jones call and if a 2nd and doug martin for lesean… do it do it
August 29th, 2017 at 7:46 pm
That’s semantics. Jameis also wanted Roberto and we saw how that turned out. Besides, Koetter is high on Charles Sims, there’s no reason to toss draft picks away for old running backs when our stable isn’t that bad. Now, if Joe was talking about trading to upgrade our right tackle this would make sense
August 29th, 2017 at 7:51 pm
Your not GM thank God lol
August 29th, 2017 at 7:52 pm
There are a few ways of looking at this. Either Forte or LeSean McCoy would improve our talent at RB.
Now the arguments that they are too old or may cost too much I think are valid however, how many RB’s have we drafted in the Koetter/Licht era? McNichols who I will kind of be surprised to make the final 53 roster. Still, I do get the fear of giving up a draft pick for an aging RB.
The other way I see looking at this is that this team is able to contend this season barring any unforeseen disasters like losing Jaboo to injury. If we are in fact ready to be a playoff caliber team then why not trade for LeSean McCoy. That is who I would go after over Forte. McCoy is about 2 years younger than Forte and has been more productive in his career. A 2nd round pick to me would be OK since if we have a good record, the pick will be less valued as a late 2nd round pick. I mean, who would truly rather have Justin Evans over LeSean McCoy.
This would not necessarily be an issue had we of drafted the best RB available when we selected J. Evans.
August 29th, 2017 at 8:08 pm
Joe you’re officially nuts with your Martin hate.
Forte is garbage, he’s old and he’s incredibly slow. You’re saying dump Martin over last year and saying 2015 when he was the best runner in the game is in the past, year you’re saying they should go after Forte who was last good in the 1980s I think (ok 1990s).
Wow…
Forte has zero value and we literally have 3 running backs on the oster who are better than he is in 2017 (Martin, Rodgers and Sims).
August 29th, 2017 at 8:30 pm
I think the talent at RB on the Bucs is just a tad under the radar.
Didn’t Barber basically win one game himself for the Bucs last year? Was he the 3rd or 4th string back?
August 29th, 2017 at 8:42 pm
If the WRs, TEs and Winston stay healthy (knock on wood), Rodgers, Sims and Barber should be able to get it done when the bullets are flying. When Doug comes back they’re even more potent on offense.
**On paper** this offense is impossible to stop. They can only beat themselves.
Go Bucs!!
August 29th, 2017 at 9:01 pm
I’d give a fifth for Joe Haden. Forte makes no sense dude. You can do short passes for 3 weeks until Doug is back
August 29th, 2017 at 9:29 pm
Need to save every pick for offensive and defensive lineman.
August 29th, 2017 at 11:19 pm
No Jeremy, Joe thinks Forte should REPLACE Martin… Yes, that’s right, cut Doug Martin and then TRADE an actual draft pick for Forte.
Joe has taken his preseason prediction that Martin won’t make this team and is just going to ride out into the middle of the gulf and go down screaming that Martin won’t make this squad…
I generally like Joe and I like people that have an opinion and don’t change their opinion based on what way the wind is blowing… but on this Joe is so incredibly far off base it makes me wonder if Doug did something involving a female family member or something.
August 30th, 2017 at 4:01 am
I personally am willing to ride with the RBs we have for this year. If the offensive line is as improved as we hope, the running game will naturally improve.
August 30th, 2017 at 7:26 am
Everyone of us has done things in our lives that we’d like to have a do over on. Life is about second chances,even third and fourth chances for some. Heck OJ freaking Simpson will be a free man again soon. We just seen Joe Mixon live the other night. I say why not Ray Rice????? Good grief I was just flipping through the channels and Jimmy freaking Swaggert is still preaching and has his own network on my satellite… I’m just saying why not Ray freaking Rice?
August 30th, 2017 at 7:27 am
Everyone of us has done things in our lives that we’d like to have a do over on. Life is about second chances,even third and fourth chances for some. Heck OJ freaking Simpson will be a free man again soon. We just seen Joe Mixon live the other night. I say why not Ray Rice????? Good grief I was just flipping through the channels and Jimmy freaking Swaggert is still preaching and has his own network on my satellite…
August 30th, 2017 at 7:46 am
Don’t forget with the fire power outside the lines and the “non threat” in our running attack, the holes will be more open than last year when D schemes only had to plan on stopping Mike Evans…which they still couldn’t do!
I’m OK with our current stack of RBs given this new squad of talent on WR and TE. Cam and OJ, ME, DJAX and GODWIN…holes will be plentiful! Now it’s time for the o-line to seize the opportunity because you know Quizz and Barber will do so.
August 30th, 2017 at 10:21 am
I’m more concerned about the backup QB situation than I am an old beat up RB. Fitzpatrick stinks! Lawdy, I hope the other backup heals before the regular season starts. That’s all we need– a big lousy dose of Buc Luck and Fameis gets hurt! 🙁