The Panthers have an excellent one-two punch at wide receiver with D.J. Moore and Curtis Samuel. Offensive coordinator Joe Brady used a lot of four and five receiver sets at LSU though and the team could use a boost to the bottom end of the depth chart.
This year’s draft class is deep at wide receiver, so expect them to pick up a prospect there. Carolina might also consider signing a veteran who could qualify as a steal. Our next potential 2020 free agent target profile is the underrated Taylor Gabriel, who was just released by the Bears.
Career stats
Gabriel went undrafted after playing his college career at Abilene Christian. Since coming into the NFL, he’s spent two years each with the Browns, Falcons and Bears. In 83 games, he has totaled 228 catches, 2,860 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns.
Pros
When the speedy Gabriel has worked with a solid quarterback and offensive coordinator (namely Matt Ryan and Kyle Shanahan) he’s produced. His best year came in 2016 when he caught a career-high six touchdowns. Gabriel has an excellent catch rate for a deep threat and rarely drops passes. Adding him to the mix would give Brady another weapon to stretch the field. He’s also a legitimate special teams contributor and has some experience as a kick returner, totaling 96 yards on four attempts.
Cons
Gabriel just turned 29 years old a week ago and he missed half of the 2019 season for Chicago due to injuries. His relatively small frame for a pro receiver (5-foot-7, 168 pounds) is a bit of a concern. This will be his seventh year in the league and he only has 31 starts to his name.
Probability: Medium
Cleveland, Atlanta, Green Bay and San Francisco all have connections with Gabriel. However, the market for his services probably won’t be too active given the upcoming deep WR draft class and his age. If Carolina can sign him at a reasonable price, it would be an excellent under-the-radar kind of move.
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