Chicago Bears free agent profile: WR Taylor Gabriel
If the Chicago Bears pick up a top receiver in free agency, Taylor Gabriel could be another interesting, low-cost addition to round out the offense.
As free agency approaches, several players, though perhaps not the most highly sought-after free agents, have started to become available after being released by their teams.
And while the Chicago Bears will hope to attract a few of those big-name players, some lower-tier players, such as wide receiver Taylor Gabriel, bear watching as possible supplements to their main free-agent haul.
Atlanta Falcons general manager revealed today that the team will allow Gabriel to hit the open market next week. Gabriel, who posted an impactful 2016 season for the Super Bowl runners-up (35 catches, 579 yards, six touchdowns), fell off a bit last year with the Falcons (33 catches, 378 yards, one TD).
The 26-year-old had played last year on a second-round tender worth $2.8 million after his breakout 2016.
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Profile
Undersized at 5’8″, 165 pounds but incredibly fast and shifty, Gabriel is an ideal third option in a solid offense.
Particularly in the case of the Chicago Bears, who will benefit from having players that can rack up yards after the catch, he’d make sense.
Of the 957 yards he has gained the last two seasons, more than 52% came after the catch. Compare with someone like Kendall Wright, who has more yards over that span, but only gained about 31% of his after the catch.
Gabriel’s dropoff last year looked related to the inconsistency of the Falcons’ offense generally, so don’t fret about that. We’ve seen what he looks like in an offense that’s humming and letting him roam free.
Plus, he’s still young in league years, entering just his fifth season. As such, he probably has quite a few years of solid football to play in the right place. No doubt, Matt Nagy’s offensive system could find ways to utilize him.
Taylor Gabriel is a monsterhttps://t.co/tcybAD2Eqv
— Def Pen Sports (@DefPenSports) September 24, 2017
Also, he won’t cost you a whole lot, given that he played for under $3 million last season.
Outlook
Of course, Gabriel shouldn’t be viewed as a high-priority free agent. He can’t be counted on to dominate games like a top or even second-tier receiver.
You’d preferably sign someone like him after you’ve acquired an Allen Robinson or Jarvis Landry and knew you’d have someone like Cameron Meredith or Paul Richardson as a second option.
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And even so, perhaps the Bears might prefer to sign an ostensibly better slot option like Albert Wilson. Plus, they’re almost certain to draft a rookie receiver at some point in the 2018 NFL Draft. As such, maybe Gabriel doesn’t really have a place in Chicago.
But if the Bears grab one of their higher-priority free agent receiver targets, perhaps Taylor Gabriel becomes a complementary option. After all, it’s not hard to see how interesting he could be in the Bears offense.