Bears running back Matt Forte indicated to reporters, including Adam Jahns of the Chicago Tribune (via Twitter links) that he would like to stay in Chicago, if possible.
“I always look at staying home and being here where I’ve been the past 8 years. That’s a major factor,” the pending free agent said. While admitting that it might not be a given that he can return to the Bears in 2016, Forte did seem open to the possibility of taking less money to stay put. “At this point. I’m not worried about earning powers and all that stuff. I’ve made money,” he said.
Here’s more from around the NFL:
- UCLA coach Jim Mora says that offensive lineman Alex Redmond has left the team and already signed with an agent for the upcoming NFL draft, Jack Wang of the Los Angeles Daily News tweets. It remains to be seen where Redmond will go in the draft, but he is not viewed as a first-round talent. Redmond, a junior, was the team’s starting right guard and started ten games in 2015. By leaving the team, Redmond will not participate in the Foster Farms Bowl against Nebraska.
- Clemson defensive end Kevin Dodd is leaning toward entering the NFL Draft, as Matt Miller of Bleacher Report tweets. If Dodd opted to stay in school, he would be a 25-year-old senior, so it makes sense for him to go pro. Dodd stands at 6’5″, 275 pounds and runs a 4.8 second 40-yard-dash.
- Former Falcons coach Mike Smith won’t let his dismissal hold him down, as FOX Sports’ Alex Marvez writes. Smith admits that he lost his way while coaching the Falcons, but he also says that he will not allow that to happen again if given another head coaching opportunity in the NFL. Recently, Smith wrote about the lessons he learned in a new book titled “You Win in the Locker Room First.” In 2013 and 2014, Atlanta finished with a combined 10-22 record, leading to his firing. Smith seemed to have opportunities to serve as a defensive coordinator somewhere this season, but he opted to take the year off and spend time with his family instead. It remains to be seen how much head coaching interest he might draw this offseason.
- Dolphins wide receivers coach Phil McGeoghan is leaving the team to become the new wide receivers coach/passing coordinator for East Carolina University, a source tells Thayer Evans of Sports Illustrated (on Twitter).