5 Chicago Bears with most on the line in 2019

Who are five players that need to have a big season in 2019?

Every year, every player is going to give their all. However, there is something to being the pressure of being in a contract year. It is not something that is controllable, but a natural urgency kicks up when the pressure of playing for your salary comes up.

Yes, it can be argued that every player is playing for their job. However, these five players have an extra incentive. They need to perform because there is certainly going to be money to be gained or lossed over these next 17 weeks.

Who are the five players with the most on the line?

5. Taylor Gabriel

The Chicago Bears need a big year from Taylor Gabriel and vice versa. When the team signed Marvin Hall before the draft, it rang alarms about the long term status of Gabriel. Think about it, Hall replaced Gabriel in Atlanta just last season. The Bears added Emmanuel Hall as a UDFA, but he was let go due to injury.

Nonetheless, they have already begun the process of looking to move on. The Bears would save $4.5 million in 2020 if they let go of Gabriel and $6.5 in 2021. The team is going to be up against the salary cap for the next couple of seasons as they maneuver the Khalil Mack contract along with signing core players-namely Mitch Trubisky.

It would be nice for someone like Hall or another UDFA flyer to pay off at a much lower cost than Gabriel. Of course, a huge year from Gabriel would make them more comfortable to pay Gabriel $6.5 million in 2020. Could he live up to his deal?