Getty CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - NOVEMBER 10: Taylor Gabriel #18 of the Chicago Bears catches a touchdown against the Detroit Lions during the second half at Soldier Field on November 10, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by David Banks/Getty Images)
Could a former Chicago Bears playmaker end up with the Green Bay Packers this offseason? It wouldn’t be the first time.
The Bears cut loose a pair of veteran players — wide receiver Taylor Gabriel and cornerback Prince Amukamara — in a series of cap-saving roster moves on Friday, adding a notable wideout to the free-agent market for the 2020 offseason. Gabriel caught 96 passes for 1,041 yards and six touchdowns in 25 career games for the Bears over the past two seasons, but he averaged just 39.2 yards in nine games in 2019 and missed time with two separate head injuries.
Maybe a stint in Green Bay could change Gabriel’s luck, though.
The 29-year-old wideout is more about speed than physicality but could be an ideal option in the slot for the Packers after their experiment with Geronimo Allison backfired this past season. He would also provide the Packers with another veteran in their receiving room, as third-year wideouts Allen Lazard and Marquez Valdes-Scantling are the next-most experienced behind star Davante Adams.
Gabriel coming off a down season should also drive his price into a range more reasonable for what the Packers are capable of spending this offseason. The Packers would still bring in a wideout capable of consistent production but do so without breaking the bank on some of the flashier free agents, such as Robby Anderson or Emmanuel Sanders. He earned $6.5 million per season with the Bears, though he could cost even less on his next deal.
While Gabriel played his best season with the Bears, he jumped onto the radar of NFL teams during the Atlanta Falcons’ run to the Super Bowl during the 2016 season. He caught three passes for 73 yards in their Super Bowl loss to the New England Patriots and finished the season with more than 500 receiving yards. His experience in Atlanta also gives him ties to Packers head coach Matt LaFleur, who was the Falcons quarterbacks coach during Gabriel’s breakout year.
The Packers are expected to have about $23.2 million in spendable cap space heading into the start of free agency, but some of the money will be allocated to signing their upcoming draft picks and re-signing some of their 21 pending free agents. The Packers will also presumably sign a contract extension with nose tackle Kenny Clark prior to the start of the 2020 season that will take another chunk out of their potential spending.
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Packers Have Chased Ex-Bears Before
The Packers have welcomed numerous former Bears players onto their team in the past, but there are a couple in recent history that stand out — including one who is still in Green Bay right now.
The Packers lured safety Adrian Amos away from Chicago during last year’s offseason and signed him to a four-year, $36 million contract. He made the Bears pay immediately for letting him walk with a win-sealing interception for the Packers in the 2019 season opener in Chicago, finishing the year with the Packers’ second-most tackles (84) and starting in every game.
Former Bears defensive end Julius Peppers also followed up his four seasons in Chicago with three more with the Packers, departing for Carolina following the team’s loss to the Atlanta Falcons in 2017’s NFC Championship game. He tallied 103 tackles, 25 sacks and a pair of pick-sixes during his time in a Packers uniform while earning one Pro Bowl selection.
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