Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times is reporting the new, four-year contract tendered to RB Matt Forte comes with $18 million guaranteed:
BREAKING: #Bears RB @MattForte22 will receive over $18 million in guarantees, according to source close to the situation.
— Sean Jensen (@seankjensen) July 16, 2012
Forte had previously been looking for $20 million guaranteed, but the team was offering only $15 million.
The $18 million averages out to $4.5 million per year. By comparison, in the MLB -- where all contracts are guaranteed -- Chicago White Sox reliever Jesse Crain makes $4.5 million annually on his three-year contract. Though Forte now ranks among the better-paid running backs in the league, his salary still does not necessarily equate with other pro athletes.
Stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago for more information, and for in-depth analysis on the Chicago Bears, be sure to visit Windy City Gridiron. And drop by SB Nation's NFL news hub for more updates and commentary from around the league.