"For the third consecutive season, the Bears will try to replace Thomas Jones.

They did a pretty good job in 2008 when Matt Forte had one of the finest rookie season for a running back in franchise history. But Forte and the running game struggled a year ago and now the team has to re-evaluate what it is doing, especially in light of the addition of offensive coordinator Mike Martz.

The club is likely to seek a complementary back for this season and what better back to replace Jones than, well, Jones? As Dave Hutchinson of the Newark Star-Ledger reports, Jones could be forced to take a pay cut - or else - by the New York Jets, the team general manager Jerry Angelo gave Jones to in 2008 for the small price of moving up in the second round of the draft.

Photo: Thomas Jones breaks free for a 52-yard gain in Super Bowl XLI (Tribune file)

Jones is coming off the finest year of his career. He rushed for 1,402 yards and 14 touchdowns, both career highs, and was a steadying influence in an offense that was directed by rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez. The Jets fell one win shy of Super Bowl XLIV with the league's top-ranked rushing attack.

But Jones is due a solid salary in 2010 and the top-ranked running game was also bolstered by rookie Shonn Greene. The former Tribune Silver Football Award winner out of Iowa became the go-to man in the backfield during the postseason. He led the league with 304 yards rushing in the playoffs, and now the Jets have to decide whether they want to pay Jones a $3 million roster bonus next month and then a base salary of $2.8 million."