Show Forte the Money

At your job, is there a co-worker who doesn't pull his weight? The kind of guy who talks a big game but never gets it done when the pressure is on? A staffer you suspect makes more money than you, despite his shortcomings? You keep your head down and do your job, hoping that your managers will reward you when you come up for a raise, but that doesn't mean the situation doesn't frustrate you.

Welcome to Matt Forte's world.

The Bears top producer of all-purpose yards in 2010 and the Grizzly Detail offensive MVP made a base salary of $470,000 in 2010, while Chester Taylor made $955,000. Bonuses raised Taylor's take-home pay to $7 million, though he didn't perform nearly as well as Forte, who rushed for 1,069 yards in the regular season to Taylor's 267. Even before bonuses, that means that Forte was paid $439.67 per yard. For Taylor? It was $3576.78 per yard.

Even Garrett Wolfe, the number three running back who rarely plays on offense and made most of his impact on special teams, was paid more than Forte.

Forte said in an interview with the Sun-Times that he just wants what's fair.

‘‘I appreciate Chester, and we have a good rotation going on,’’ Forte told the Sun-Times on Thursday. ‘‘But I just hope the Bears’ management and coach Lovie [Smith] get together and do what’s fair. I’m just hoping they do the right thing, but there’s really nothing I can do about it.’’

Forte's contract has him scheduled to make $550,000 for the 2011 season, but he wants to negotiate a new contract with the Bears during the off-season. Who can blame him? He was an integral part of the Bears offense, serving as both a running and receiving threat, and was one of the few Bears who played well in both post-season games. Forte was one of the reasons the Bears stayed in the game against the Packers, gaining 160 combined rushing and receiving yards.

Bears, this isn't difficult. This isn't an ornery, difficult player who is making ridiculous pay demands. This is a player who has produced for the team game in and game out. In the spirit of the late, great Ol' Dirty Bastard, Grizzly Detail makes this humble request:

Give him his money. 

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