2016 NFL Trade Rumors: New England Patriots Looking To Take Advantage of Matt Forte As a Free Agent?

Feb 17, 2016 07:12 PM EST

Rumors are starting to emerge that Matt Forte, the running back for the Chicago Bears, is considering to become a free agent next month as soon as the market opens. And, it seems one of the teams looking to capitalize on this opportunity is the New England Patriots.

The speculations about Forte being a free agent began shortly after the 2015 NFL season ended. Earlier in January, Forte spoke with Ryan Pace, the general Manager of the Bears, regarding his status with the team for the next season. Pace then told him that he and the other officials will first reevaluate the roster before coming up with a decision.

But, after a month, Forte told the Chicago Sun Times that he hasn't heard anything from Pace or the other officials of the team yet. This could mean that might not have a spot on the team as the 2016 season rolls in.

Of course, without a team, Forte can always consider being a free agent once it opens up next month. The 30-year-old athlete, however, did not mention which team he would like to join but according to Mass Live, he wants to be in a franchise that has a good chance of getting into the Super Bowl.

According to the site, out of all the teams in the NFL , the New England Patriots is probably one of the squads that has the highest chances of going to next season's championship event. And, if Forte does decide to become a free agent, then the team needs to get him as soon as possible to fix their current running back situation.

As fans know, the team just lost LaGarrette Blount and Dion Lewis during the latter half of last season. This then forced the Patriots to rely on James White and Steve Jackson during the AFC title match.

However, the Patriots has not yet released an official statement regarding its desires to get Forte for next season. But, given the team's history, it will most likely do so since it has been trying to acquire the athlete since 2014. On that year, head coach Bill Belichick praised Forte for his skills on the field and even referred to him as a complete player.