New York Jets: Assessing Matt Forte’s Potential Role
Despite the wear and tear, the New York Jets agreed to terms with running back Matt Forte, per ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.
Matt Forte is signing with the NY Jets, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 9, 2016
The New York Jets will attempt to replacement former running back Chris Ivory, who signed a five-year, $32.5 million deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars, per Schefter:
Former Jets' RB Chris Ivory is expected to sign with the Jacksonville Jaguars when new league year begins, per league source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 9, 2016
Forte, 30, averaged 16.8 carries in the previous season, just a shade more than Ivory (16.5). However, his age will drop the count slightly with the Jets in the upcoming season. New York still has running back Zac Stacy, who underperformed and played a limited eight games due to injury. The front office also acquired a small elusive scatback in Dri Archer in February.
Jets brass could still entertain the idea of drafting a younger running back with little confidence in Stacy to manage half the load in the backfield.
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As for Forte, he’s going to serve a solid role as an escape valve for the starting quarterback. He’s an exceptional pass-catcher in the backfield with a durable body to handle 12-14 carries per game. He’s missed eight games in eight seasons, which shows reliability even at this stage in his career.
Nonetheless, a three-man backfield consisting of Forte, Stacy and Archer needs tweaking to ensure optimal production at the position. One older back and two underachieving talents in recent seasons should encourage the Jets to look at Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliot in first round or Indiana running back Jordan Howard in the third round.
Why?
In 2015, the Jets offense fielded a top-10 ground attack, averaging 116.8 yards per game.
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There was a lot of buzz surrounding quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick’s connection with wideout Brandon Marshall, but defenses loaded up to stop Ivory, which helped open up the passing lanes. Without a viable rushing offense, opposing defenses may opt to sit back on their heels or drop an extra safety to stop the aerial attack.
Forte alone, won’t garner added attention to the ground attack, but his versatility translates into yards after the catch and an alternative to the featured back. The front office made a solid move to patch up Ivory’s departure, but there’s more to do either through the draft or in free agency.
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