When Marshawn Lynch decided to hang up his cleats, there was, and still is, considerable speculation as to who would take over in the backfield for Beast Mode.

Thomas Rawls should be the starter at running back, but that doesn’t mean the Seattle Seahawks shouldn’t look for backfield additions this offseason. The Seahawks will again be amongst the NFL’s best teams in 2016, but the right addition can push the team to Super Bowl glory.

That addition could be fellow running back Matt Forte.

Long one of the league’s best and most versatile runners, Forte will hit free agency as a 30-year-old this off-season, and the Seahawks are a good fit. Seattle provides the runner with a chance to extend his career, and a shot at the Super Bowl title that has evaded Forte so far.

Extending His Career

At 30, Forte is now at the age where most running backs tend to break down. With Seattle, he would likely be second fiddle to Rawls, but would still be a significant part of the offense.

The former Chicago Bears player would serve as the team’s third-down and passing-down back, something the team did with Fred Jackson last season. In addition to those duties, Forte would also be able to take a number of touches away from Rawls.

This would still allow Forte to make an impact, without exposing himself to the number of hits a lead running back takes. While this may prevent Rawls from posting gaudy numbers, it would extend the younger running back’s career as well.

Like Lynch, Rawls’ physical brand of football play opens him up to a significant number of hits. Having Forte lessen some of the load now would help Rawls later in his career.

Because neither player would take the beating that a lead back takes, both would still have energy left in the tank for the team’s most important games down the stretch and in the playoffs. This could pay massive dividends for the Hawks. Additionally, the injury-prevention aspect of having each take fewer hits is a positive as well.

Two-Headed Monster

What’s more, the two (along with Russell Wilson) would present an imposing backfield for opposing defenses. Specific play packages with Rawls and Forte lined up with Wilson are particularly appealing given the fact that each can break off a significant gain at any time.

The potential addition of Forte would also allow the Seahawks to switch things up in game situations at will. In addition, Rawls and Forte’s combined presence will open up more passing lanes for Wilson—a quarterback who threw for 1,906 yards and 24 touchdowns over the last seven games of the 2015 season.   

In Conclusion

Obviously the price has to be right as Seattle has a number of other needs to fill, but if the former Chicago Bear inks a contract that fits with the team’s budget, the Seahawks should sign the Matt Forte. He might just push the Hawks over the top where the Super Bowl is concerned. 

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About the author
Ben Rosener
Ben Rosener is a sports writer born and raised in the greater Seattle area. He is a college who is the editor and founder of two sports websites, Kingdome of Seattle Sports and Know Hitter, the latter of which is a member of the BBA. Ben’s work can also be found on the digital pages of Bleacher Report, USA Today, World Soccer Talk and FanSided among others. He only refers to himself in the third person for bios.