Matt Forte: Motive of tag is key

[truebluefan]

Matt Forte said he would be fine with the Chicago Bears using the franchise tag on him as long as it leads to a long-term deal and is not simply a tactic to keep him off the free-agent market for another season.

"It depends on the motive of (the franchise tag)," Forte said Thursday on "The Waddle & Silvy Show" on ESPN 1000. "If they are doing the franchise tag just to get more time in order to negotiate a long-term deal then I would be OK with it. But if it's just to hold me another year and just 'Let's throw some money at him right now to keep him quiet,' that's not going to solve anything."

Bears president and CEO Ted Phillips told "Waddle & Silvy" on Tuesday that the team has no intention of letting Forte become a free agent.

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