The Facts: Following up on the previous item. ... The Falcons will place the second-round tender on Gabriel, a restricted free agent, ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure reported Friday.
Diehards Line:
The Falcons likely feel comfortable that Gabriel won’t receive an offer from another team at that tender level because a team that signs Gabriel would owe the Falcons a second-round pick. Gabriel was a productive waiver-wire find for the Falcons last September. He scored five touchdowns last season and ended up playing a key role in the Falcons’ high-scoring offense. If the Falcons and Gabriel can’t come to an agreement on a long-term deal, the second-round tender means he’ll make about $2.8 million in 2017. If he plays next season under the tender he’ll be eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2018.