Bears may fortify behind Forte

The Bears are completely satisfied with Matt Forte as their featured ballcarrier, and their other needs are such that they are unlikely to consider drafting a running back until the middle rounds, if at all.

But that's not a bad situation to be in this year.

There are very few runners who are locks to go in the first two rounds, but there might be several intriguing, smaller, change-of-pace backs still on the board in the middle rounds.

Forte is a do-it-all type who has the ability to run inside and outside and also is a major factor in the passing game.

But NFL running backs are living on borrowed time from the get-go, and it's always an advantage to have a solid backup on the roster.

The Bears thought when they signed Chester Taylor last year as an unrestricted free agent that they were adding a complementary back who could fill in for Forte with hardly any drop-off in productivity.

They were wrong.

The 31-year-old appeared to age in a hurry. He struggled all season to get in sync and averaged a disappointing 2.4 yards per carry, although he did have marginal value as a short-yardage option.

Taylor's return is not guaranteed.

If there's anything lacking from the Bears' ground game, it's the big-play dimension, although Forte showed more burst than ever before last season, averaging a career-best 4.5 yards per carry with 9 runs of longer than 20 yards.

The Bears never have found a niche, other than on special teams, for little Garrett Wolfe, who was seen as an undersized, change-of-pace option when he was overdrafted in the third round in 2007.

Kahlil Bell has been unable to get on the field, and he isn't a home run threat.

But undersized athletes with big-play potential such as Pittsburgh's Dion Lewis, Oregon State's Jacquizz Rodgers or West Virginia's Noel Devine could be available in the middle rounds and provide a nice change of pace to Forte.

Need: 4 (On a scale with 10 representing a dire need and 1 representing no need at all).

ŸFollow Bob's Bears reports via Twitter @Bob LeGere and check out our Bear Essentials blog at dailyherald.com.