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SB Nation has put together a list of five trades involving veterans that make sense. One of them involves Jets running back Matt Forte.
Matt Forte to the Eagles
Forte has only played in five games for the Jets this season, but his numbers suggest he can still produce as pass-catching tailback who adds an extra dimension to his team’s passing game from the backfield. That’s something the Eagles and sudden MVP candidate Carson Wentz could use.
Forte has caught 91 percent of the passes he’s been thrown this fall, racking up 19 catches for 158 yards as a standout checkdown option. Philadelphia’s top two backs, LeGarrette Blount and Wendell Smallwood, have combined for just 12 catches. Add in Forte’s reasonable 4.0 yard per carry average and you’ve got a solid addition to the Eagles’ tailback platoon — and a probable playoff landing spot for a veteran with only two postseason games on his resume.
The signing of Forte just hasn’t panned out for the Jets. His skills have eroded considerably with age, and his touches have come at the expense of more explosive backs. There is little chance of him being on the 2018 roster so it makes sense for the Jets to get anything they can if a trade is proposed.
But I am skeptical a team would be willing to give up anything in a trade to get Forte. Running back is a position where teams frequently find quality options for cheap, even in season. Would the Eagles really want to deal for an aging expensive back? I tend to doubt it, but that would be a nice scenario for the Jets.