NY Jets Video: Breaking down the signing of Matt Forte

On the NY Jets, what kind of impact will running back Matt Forte have in his first year with the team? Here’s a video breakdown of what the signing means and what could be his role on offense.

The Jets started off the new league year by acquiring one of the top running backs in this year’s free agency with Forte. It was a smart move considering that running back Chris Ivory bolted to the Jacksonville Jaguars and at this very moment, there is no guarantee that Bilal Powell will be back next season with the Jets.

Terms of his contract have been revealed by Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News via Twitter. Forte agreed to a three-year/$8M guaranteed deal with $4M in escalators, meaning that he could potentially earn more based on achieving specific stats with what he contributes on the gridiron over the next few years.

Our friends over at Sports Illustrated recently had a fantastic video breaking down the signing of Forte, check it out in its entirety below:

It’s hard to speculate what kind of role Forte will have on the Jets’ offense come next season. He’s definitely a hybrid threat that will undoubtedly be a featured back able to do anything he’s assigned to execute. Offensive coordinator Chan Gailey now has a viable weapon that could beat opponents on the ground or through the air.

While there is some concern for all the wear and tear he accumulated with the Chicago Bears the past eight seasons, if he can stay healthy, Forte will add an incredible dimension to the Jets’ offense. He’s more of a finesse running back that can break tackles and go the distance once he gets into open space.

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His best attribute is without question his receiving skills, so in the event that the Jets don’t get Powell re-signed for next season, they should still be able to have a viable option at running back to handle both responsibilities. Forte is actually an upgrade over Powell when it comes to what he brings to the table as a receiving option.

In his career, Forte has totaled 8,602 rushing yards on 2,035 rushes for 45 touchdowns. As a receiving option, he has totaled 4,116 receiving yards on 487 receptions for 19 touchdowns.

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