Taylor Gabriel rumors: Top 3 landing spots
By Josh Hill
Taylor Gabriel might not be the sexiest name in free agency, but he could be the right signing for the right team.
When Taylor Gabriel hit waivers back in 2016, no one thought much of him. The Atlanta Falcons picked him up, but him in the right system and all of a sudden he was worth a second-round tender in the offseason.
Gabriel is hitting the open market again, and he’ll be looking for another perfect fit that will play to his strengths. He’s a slot speedster who could help a team looking to complete its receiving corps, and will come at a bargain price.
Best fits
1. Houston Texans
With DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller forming one of the most unexpectedly stellar wide receiving corps in football, the Texans could lean on free agency to complete the picture. Deshaun Watson is expected to be back and healthy next year and adding a slot threat like Gabriel to the mix could be what opens up Houston’s offense. He’d be moving to a system with a young quarterback on the rise and two towering deep threats, giving Gabriel all the room in the world to flourish.
2. San Francisco 49ers
Gabriel’s two years in Atlanta are defined by Kyle Shanahan. The year Shanahan was the offensive coordinator, Gabriel had his best season since 2014. A year later, Gabriel struggled to be a part of an offense run by Steve Sarkisian, and it showed. Shanahan brought in Pierre Garcon because they worked so well together in Washington and the same logic could apply here. Because of his lost production in the non-Shanahan year, Gabriel could come cheap enough to make this a can’t-miss for the 49ers.
Next: Every NFL Team's Best Draft Pick Of All-Time
3. Chicago Bears
Unless Kevin White is ever going to play, the Bears need to find slot options to help Mitchell Trubisky open things up. New head coach Matt Nagy could see Gabriel as a Tyreek Hill-style reciever to use in his schemes, which would be beneficial everyone. He’ll come cheap after his down year, which is good news for a Bears team that could lock up a vital piece of its offense and still have cap space to fill other needs.