Matt Forte is bracing for the end of his career with the Chicago Bears.

"The fans are the fans," Forte said. "The NFL is a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately [league]. I've been out a few games and Jeremy has done well stepping in for me. So everybody is always looking for the next best thing. With [me] being in my contract year, it's obvious that that's the storyline that will come up.

"Chicago is kind of like that: 'Well, see ya later, Matt.' I'm like, 'Man, I've been here going on eight years -- y'all just going to throw me to the side like that?' But that's the nature of the NFL. And I don't mind. I will play wherever I end up after that."

With the Bears uninterested in an extension with Forte, he is unlikely to rush back from injury.

"I've got to play it smart," Forte said. "Say I play Sunday and get banged up a little bit. Thursday's a really quick turnaround. So I have to talk to the head trainer [Nate Breske] and coach [John] Fox about that."