Source: Matt Forte agrees to deal
ESPN.com news services

Sometimes it takes a deadline to make a deal.

That was true when the Seahawks and Marshawn Lynch agreed on a deal the day before the deadline to apply franchise tags to players.

It was just as true for Matt Forte and the Chicago Bears, who have reportedly agreed to a new contract on Monday, which is the last day for frachise-tagged players to sign a long-term deal.

Those aren't the only similarities, though.

Forte has agreed to a four-year, $32 million contract, which certainly sounds pretty similar to the four-year, $31 million deal Lynch signed with Seattle. In fact, the guaranteed money is almost identical: over $18 million for Lynch, over $18 million for Forte.

Now we'll see if Ray Rice and the Ravens reach a deal, and if they do, you can very much expect it to look similar to the contracts for Lynch and now Forte.

Update, 1:07 p.m.: Well, what do you know, the Ravens and Ray Rice also reached a deal, which is one year longer -- spanning five years -- according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, but is averaging, gasp, $8 million per year.

Ray Rice signed a five-year, $40 million contract that includes $17 million in year one and $25 million in the first two years.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 16, 2012