Bears running back Matt Forte misses voluntary workouts

Bears running back Matt Forte misses voluntary workouts

Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte missed the first day of the team’s voluntary workout on Monday.

[daily_cut.nfl]

Forte confirmed via social media that he not at the team's training facility in Lake Forest, Ill., but was instead training in South Florida.

The first two weeks of the team’s offseason program is limited to strength and conditioning training, rehab for injured players and meetings with the new Bears coach John Fox and the rest of his coaching staff.

Forte, 29, is entering the final year of a four-year $30.4 million contract he signed in 2012.

• NFL rumors: Latest buzz around free agency, trades, 2015 NFL draft

He is set to make $7.050 million in base salary and count $9.2 million against the Bears 2015 salary cap.

Bears general manager Ryan Pace has said that working on a contract extension for Forte and other players is a "slow process."

"I know you guys are going to ask questions from a million different angles but again it's just my job and John's [Fox] job and our staff's job to just be thorough and slow with this process. I know there is a time frame but I don't want to rush any decisions," Pace said to ESPN.com in February

Forte rushed for 1,038 yards last season and caught 102 passes, a single-season NFL-record by a running back, for another 808 receiving yards while scoring 10 total touchdowns.

Little work at @bommaritos today! Good to be back with the speed guru Pete! https://t.co/bfmUkWTjDc

— Matt Forte (@MattForte22) April 13, 2015

Relax everybody... It's called voluntary W/O for a reason. I've always been there especially when it counts!

— Matt Forte (@MattForte22) April 14, 2015

- Scooby Axson