Written by Kimberley A. Martin at NewsDay.com
After an offseason that provided only a glimpse of what the Jets’ new No. 1 running back could do, his buddy Brandon Marshall assured fans that the best of Matt Forte is yet to come.
“The Jets hate when I do this,” Marshall said playfully Tuesday morning on WFAN. “Bruce (Speight), head of PR over there, I know he’s going to hate when I say this, and I’m saying this: But I really think this is the best I’ve ever seen Matt Forte, to be honest.
“His feet are amazing. He’s in shape. It looks like he’s dropped a few pounds. He’s cut up, he’s ripped up. He just looks like he has an extra burst. I don’t know if it’s because he’s been banged up the last couple of years or what. But this guy looks really good and he’s impressing everyone.”
Marshall just set the bar even higher for his close friend and former Bears teammate. Forte, who turns 31 in December, was the Jets’ marquee acquisition this offseason. After giving him a three-year, $12-million deal, the franchise expects big dividends from their new workhouse.
The versatile Forte amassed 8,602 rushing yards and 45 touchdowns, plus 4,116 receiving yards and 19 TDs on 487 catches in eight seasons. But after being hampered by a knee injury last year, he was sidelined for the first half of camp and the first two preseason games because of a hamstring injury. But Marshall, who helped convince Forte to sign with the Jets, isn’t worried about his production.
“The cool thing about this team is we have depth, at every position,” Marshall said. “At the running back position, you have Bilal Powell. I think he looks better this year. I mean, same situation. I don’t know if this guy could have gotten any better. But you have Bilal Powell behind him and this guy’s the No. 1 on many teams, so we’re excited about what everyone’s going to bring to the table. We’re locked and loaded.”
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