With Matt Forte on the shelf -- potentially for some time -- the Chicago Bears are poking around for running back help on the NFL free-agent pile.
A league source confirmed to the Chicago Tribune that the Bears plan to bring in veteran Steve Slaton for a workout at their facility on Saturday.
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Slaton lost a numbers game with the Miami Dolphins and was cut on Sept. 1. The fifth-year pro had his best season as a 22-year-old rookie in 2008, when he rushed for nearly 1,300 yards with the Houston Texans. Injuries have limited his success in subsequent years, however.
A source who has spoken with Forte told NFL.com and NFL Network's Ian Rapoport the running back suffered a high ankle sprain in the Bears' 23-10 loss on Thursday night. Chicago hasn't released any timetable on Forte's return, but players have been known to miss a month or more with the injury.
The signing of Michael Bush suddenly appears to be a masterstroke by Bears management. It remains to be seen if Slaton joins the mix as well.
Follow Dan Hanzus on Twitter @danhanzus.
