New York Jets should release Matt Forte immediately
The New York Jets should cut Matt Forte and do so immediately following the veteran’s comments after a Week 8 loss to Atlanta.
The New York Jets have had issues in the past with grumbling players. However, in those instances, it was a talented player that they wanted to make sure they got the best deal in return for.
They waited a little too long to trade Sheldon Richardson, but they got a good deal. Now they have another player who’s saying things he shouldn’t be saying. The difference is his talent doesn’t match his talk.
Running back Matt Forte’s talent is diminishing, and was so even going back to his final years in Chicago. So, frankly he has no right to open his mouth to the media, even if he is asked a question. He needs to do what Stephen A. Smith frequently refers to as “tap dancing [around the question] like the late great Gregory Hines.”
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After the game against the Falcons, Forte had this to say, per ESPN’s Rich Cimini:
"“We knew the weather was going to be like this. It continued to rain the entire game. I think we ran the ball only 20 times, something like that. There should’ve been at least one person getting 20 carries, the way the weather was. I thought we were going to grind them out on the ground. It ended up not turning out that way.”"
Whether or not he’s right is moot in this case (He’s probably right, given the fact that pass-run play ratio was 3-2, not including all drop backs). He shouldn’t be airing that in public. He even stated in a later quote that it’s offensive coordinator John Morton’s first year calling plays and his background is passing.
Regardless, he shouldn’t be airing the grievance in public. Deal with it privately in the team meeting or one-on-one with Morton. Forte is a veteran and knows better. If he was one of the rookies or young players, maybe slack could be cut, but not in this case.
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Forte has been unproductive in 2017, and a swift message needs to be sent to the locker room. The young players need to get a message that this can’t be tolerated. As soon as it can happen, the Jets should make the call and cut Forte.