After acquiring Pro Bowl wideout Brandon Marshall and locking up running back Matt Forte with a contract extension, the Chicago Bears were considered to be a force to be reckoned with heading into the 2012 NFL season. Forte’s contract getting done before he stepped foot on the gridiron was a huge step forward for the team as it secured the future of the position for at least the next few years.

Unfortunately, Forte’s health is already in question after the loss to the division rival Green Bay Packers in Week 2. As if the loss to the Packers wasn’t devastating enough with the offensive line being ripped to shreds by Clay Matthews and company, Forte went down with a sprained ankle and every Bears fan in the Windy City immediately began to hold their breath.

Even though Forte has been arguably the best offensive player on the team for the past few years, the Pro Bowl caliber back has had his fair share of problems staying healthy due to his workload every single week. The addition of Marshall was thought to take the pressure off Forte, but after two weeks of the season he’s already banged up with an uncertain status moving forward.

Despite Forte already going down, the injury to his ankle isn’t as bad as first reported. Apparently, Forte’s injury isn’t a high ankle sprain as initially diagnosed. With that being said, the injury might not be a long-term problem for the Bears as he may be able to return much sooner than predicted.

It’s safe to say at this point in time that Forte will miss the Week 3 showdown against the St. Louis Rams. With Forte on the sidelines, new addition Michael Bush will get the bulk of the carries.

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