Chicago Bears Offseason Stock Watch: Taylor Gabriel
Which direction has the stock of Taylor Gabriel gone since the end of the 2019 NFL Season?
While Taylor Gabriel did not do anything directly, it is fair to say that the decisions and the moves of the Chicago Bears can directly impact what kind of season he will have. Did he get put into a better situation, or is the team looking to move on from him?
For Gabriel, it is tough to say that anything about this offseason is leaving your optimistic. Of course, aside from the fact that he had a career year during his prime age of 27.
Still, an early move the team made in free agency was to sign Cordarelle Patterson. Patterson was not signed to replace Gabriel, and will even get snaps in the backfield. Patterson plays his own position.
However, Gabriel was used as a gadget player in some roles, and Patterson will certainly be the leading candidate for those snaps. At the end of the day, he is just another mouth that needs to be fed on offense.
From there they added Marvin Hall. Hall is not a glaring red flag either, but his size, speed, and role show him to be a younger version of Gabriel. Hall should not be competing with Gabriel next year, but the team has added insurance nonetheless.
Finally, we have the draft. Riley Ridley was a surprising pass catcher who adds yet another mouth and shows once again that feeding Taylor Gabriel is not on their minds. The Bears want to spread the ball around.
UDFA Emanuel Hall finished off what is now a deep group. Hall is a deep threat player, and with Patterson added as a gadget player, and Hall with the similar physical ability the Bears are officially ready to replace Gabriel in every area.
Most of this will develop slowly. Gabriel is going to keep his starter role, but to expect growth on his career year is a bit optimistic. From there, the Bears could save over $4-million in 2020, and $6-million in 2021 on the cap by moving on. If the Halls are ready, the Bears could be too.
It is fair to say that Gabriel is not an offseason winner.