Not sure running back Matt Forte noticed, but the Bears all but announced this week they now think they are a passing team.

Hardly able to contain his excitement at Halas Hall, quarterback Jay Cutler threw passes in the general direction of Pro Bowl wide receiver Brandon Marshall under the guidance of whiz-kid quarterbacks coach Jeremy Bates.

Is it worth pointing out the Broncos' leading rusher that season gained 343 yards?

Nothing about coordinator Mike Tice's newly installed Broncos-styled offense Cutler and Marshall described made anybody conclude it needs a marquee running back. It functioned at a high level in '08 with a running back committee, a point I hope the Bears avoid trying to prove in '12.

Anyway, despite Pro Bowl-caliber productivity in 2011, Forte picked the worst offseason to gauge his worth to a Bears offense in transition.

His value remains a source of debate and contention.

Eagles running back LeSean McCoy's five-year, $45 million deal with $20.8 million in guarantees was thought to provide a blueprint for Forte, who has yet to sign the one-year franchise tender guaranteeing him $7.7 million. It raised hopes to everyone who didn't realize that a five-year, $40 million deal with $20 million in guarantees was what Forte sought before a stellar season likely drove up his price, a source said.

Also overlooked was that McCoy is 29 months younger and has been used considerably less, a factor considering a source claimed Forte's durability has emerged as an obstacle during negotiations.

Throughout the league, people have wondered why the Bears can't agree on a multiyear contract extension for one of the NFL's most productive running backs. A major sticking point could stem from the Bears' worry over how long Forte's knees will hold up, a source suggested to the Tribune. The wear and tear on Forte's knees drew the attention of several teams, including the Bears, before the 2008 NFL draft when he came out of Tulane.

According to the source, given Forte's past the Bears cannot rule out arthritis setting in and becoming a chronic problem for the fifth-year running back with 1,237 career NFL touches who turns 27 in December. In the NFL, data show running backs start declining after age 28.

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Forte's longevity a factor in contract talks