Matt Forte confirmed the expected on Friday: the Bears won’t be re-signing him this offseason. The Bears confirmed this later. Forte, a second-round pick by the Bears in the 2008 NFL Draft out of Tulane, spent his entire career thus far in Chicago. It looked like he was done with the team as recently as November, when he issued some ominious comments about his future. It’s just not that surprising. Forte turned 30 in December and despite totaling 1,200 yards from scrimmage or more every single season in Chicago, he’s a running back in a passing game. He’s also under a new regime — GM Ryan Pace is looking to revamp this roster, drafting Jeremy Langford last season and giving him plenty of run as a rookie. Forte won’t find a market desperate to throw money at him. Even with his talents, his age is a concern (although his ability in the passing game is a big plus) and running backs just don’t make major scratch these days.

THIS IS THE MESSAGE FORTE ISSUED: “Despite my wishes, my days as a member of the Chicago Bears have sadly come to an end. I was informed earlier this week from the GM that they will not be attempting to re-sign me in free agency. I will remain forever grateful for my time spent in Chicago and being able to play for an organization with such a rich history. My only regret is not being able to win a Lombardi trophy for the best fans in all of sports. I’m excited about the next chapter of my NFL career. But, Chicago will always be home. God Bless and Bear Down! “