Chicago Bears RB Matt Forte not planning a holdout

Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte answered in the affirmative when asked whether he'll report on time to training camp despite contract issues, according to ESPN's Jeff Dickerson. Forte is feeling the pressure of a contract year bearing down on him, and the Bears have been reluctant to offer their 29-year-old ball-carrier a new deal.

"Nobody wants to play on a one-year deal, especially the uncertainty of how football is with how it goes," Forte told ESPN. "You just figure like a guy who's been there since day one, continues to put in hard work and has produced, you figure that that guy should be rewarded. But in this business that doesn't always happen."

If his past production is any indication of what's to come, Forte is certainly worthy of a contract extension. He was the team's leading rusher last year (1,038 yards) and set the NFL record for receptions by a running back in a single season (102). Dickerson points out that no player has accumulated more yards from scrimmage since 2008 than Forte's 11,431.

Forte knows he must warm up to the new coaches and front office members in order to get a new contract. Bears general manager Ryan Pace was hired in January, so he's likely to assess his holdovers before giving them new contracts.

"It's a new regime, so they have to get to know you," Forte told ESPN. "They probably know a lot about me, from afar, watching me play while they coached on different teams. But to actually coach somebody on the field and seeing the person is different, so that's why I'm out here and continuing to work to get to know the offense and get that cohesion with the offensive line and everybody."

(h/t ESPN)

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