Heading into the offseason, the New York Jets are coming off yet another disappointing year looking to once again reshape the roster. One of these possible moves may see the front office part ways with a proven veteran, as Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports believes that New York could cut running back Matt Forte.
“Moving on from Matt Forte is likely as they seek younger, more explosive backs as well.”
The 32-year-old is coming off the least productive campaign of his career, posting just 381 rushing yards on 103 carries with a pair of touchdowns in 12 games played. He was only able to crack more than 60 rushing yards once while tallying double-digit carries three times. In fact, his only two touchdowns came in his best performance of the season, with 77 rushing yards on 14 attempts against the Buffalo Bills on November 2nd.
Forte's continued decline in production has made it more clear that his best days are likely behind him as being the primary workhorse running back in the offense. He has experienced a steady drop in his effectiveness as a runner, with his last 1,000 rushing yard season occurring in 2014 with the Chicago Bears.
The Jets also look to be grooming Bilal Powell to handle the bulk of the workload next season after rushing for a career-high 772 rushing yards on 178 carries and five touchdowns in 2017, making Forte even more expendable.
The decision to move on from Forte won't draw much of a financial burden with him being in the final year of his three-year, $12 million deal that possesses a $3 million cap hit for the 2018 season. The Jets are currently projected to have around $79.3 million in salary cap space at their disposal, which can be used to address a number of their roster needs.
If New York chooses to look externally for additional help in the backfield, there will be plenty of intriguing options on the open market with the likes of Le'Veon Bell, Carlos Hyde, Dion Lewis, Jamaal Charles, Jerick McKinnon, and Isaiah Crowell.
The Jets are also expected to release Muhammad Wilkerson to save between $11 and $17 million in cap space (depending on when they make the cut).
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