Taylor Gabriel Almost Gave Bears Fans A Heart Attack

Everybody is weighing in on the recent rumors surrounding the Chicago Bears. Word is rampant they are in heated talks with the Philadelphia Eagles about the possibility of trading for Carson Wentz. After three very good years from 2017 to 2019, the former Pro Bowler had a difficult 2020 with 16 TDs and 15 interceptions. That combined with a growing rift between him and head coach Doug Pederson led to him being benched. Now Wentz wants out and the Bears seem to be interested. One person who isn't feeling that idea is Taylor Gabriel. The former Bears receiver has spent the 2020 season at home after failing to latch on with a new team. It's difficult to know why. Perhaps teams fear his recent bout with concussion problems or he decided to avoid playing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Either way, he's been rather quiet in recent months. Then on February 6th, with the Wentz rumors flying, he decided to break his silence in the weirdest way possible.

This inevitably set off alarm bells in the Bears community.

Did Gabriel know something others didn't? It was revealed not too long before that the Bears had some interest in Jameis Winston, who will be a free agent in March. The former #1 pick had spent 2020 backing up Drew Brees in New Orleans. Was this some sort of confirmation that the Wentz stuff was all an elaborate smokescreen and Winston is their real target? No. The truth is a little more anticlimactic than that. It seems the tweet was less a relaying of inside information and more a plea from the receiver to his former team that they should consider adding Winston over anybody else they may be targeting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sDAGwwwtKE&t=2s&ab_channel=NFL

Taylor Gabriel certainly knows how to get attention

The Winston argument is a fascinating one. In 2019, the quarterback threw for 5,100 yards and 33 touchdowns. That would've been an All-Pro season in most instances. Unfortunately, the quarterback ruined it by throwing an incredible 30 interceptions as well. This is what Gabriel was referencing when he made the gunslinger comment. Winston isn't known for his sharp decision-making. For some that isn't a big deal. They're willing to take the good with the bad even though the QB has never made the playoffs in his career. Taylor Gabriel says the defense will handle the turnovers. Easy for him to say. The Buccaneers defense this season ranked 8th in points allowed. They were 29th in 2019. Why? A big part of that was Winston always putting them back on the field because of the turnovers.

This isn't the 2018 defense anymore either.

The Bears unit showed a number of chinks in the armor this past season, slipping to 11th in the league after three-straight top 10 finishes. Age is catching up to them with Khalil Mack, Akiem Hicks, Robert Quinn, and Danny Trevathan all in or about to enter their 30s. They don't have the fresh legs of youth on their side anymore. Asking them to ride the Winston rollercoaster wouldn't lead to great things. Gabriel means well but it feels like this is too big of a risk.