Russell Gage, Third Receivers And The Draft
April 14th, 2022
Penn State WR Jahan Dotson.
Just about every NFL writer this time of the year (as people are mocked-out after being barraged by them for the past two months) will break from mocking to type a story about each NFL team’s needs.
Conor Orr is no different.
The SI scribe made a very interesting point about how important a third receiver is for the Bucs, and how key of a pickup Russell Gage was in free agency. Orr also listed wide receiver as one of four positions of need for the Bucs, and he indirectly made the case for the Bucs to draft a receiver early.
The Buccaneers are currently rolling with Russell Gage as their No. 3 wide receiver, but we saw last year the kind of gymnastics the team went through to try to legitimize Antonio Brown’s spot on the roster. The reason? A potent third receiver makes this offense unstoppable.
What Orr left unwritten was that right now, Chris Godwin’s timetable for a return is unknown. It could be September, it could be October. Hell it may not be until November. Who knows? No one.
So until Godwin can get back to 100 percent, Gage is the Bucs’ No. 2 receiver. Who is No. 3? The immortal Cyril Grayson? Breshad Perriman? Tyler Johnson?
Joe could see the Bucs drafting a receiver at No. 27 for this reason, and as an added incentive to lure Tom Brady back next year. You know, like what Miami is doing?
Per a neat tool developed by BSPN, the Bucs have something like a 20 percent chance of drafting Ohio State’s game-breaker Chris Olave but Penn State’s speedy, hands-of-glue receiver Jahan Dotson has roughly a 75 percent chance of being available for the Bucs at No. 27.
The Bucs this year are facing seriously potent offenses. Joe would much rather take a chance at outscoring them with a boatload of receivers and Brady pulling the trigger, rather than hoping the Bucs get a pass rush.
Joe is in full agreement with Bobby Knight. “Hope” may be the evilest four-letter word in sports.
April 14th, 2022 at 12:07 am
“Hope” is not a strategy.
Thank you Joe(s) for all you report!
April 14th, 2022 at 12:14 am
If we draft a receiver then we GOTTA resign Suh
April 14th, 2022 at 12:16 am
Suh still plays like a late first round pick.
April 14th, 2022 at 12:21 am
You are welcome! 🙂
April 14th, 2022 at 12:24 am
Todd Bowles will draft a WR in the first round, in the first year as HC??? Gage is also very good in the slot. One of four position needs??? Clown emoji. Perriman, Grayson, and Johnson all have different abilities and field time.
WR at No. 27?
…Highly unlikely.
April 14th, 2022 at 12:27 am
why not christian watson or alec pierce–they both had huge wraps scores try find a wideout in later rounds that can get separation
April 14th, 2022 at 12:58 am
I’ll be pissed if we spend our first rounder on one. We need one starter and at least one rotational guy in dline (after vita, nacho, Gholston we have nobody). We could also use some online depth (both interior and tackle really.. if anyone goes down we are screwed)
April 14th, 2022 at 1:02 am
Dont get me wrong, I like this kid, and if Olave isnt there then Im all for it….but the vibes im feeling deep in my bones is screaming for Olave. There will have to be a trade up, hopefully with New England. Use a pick or two from next year. KC has a lot of draft picks to work with and will go after him past 20….count on it!
April 14th, 2022 at 1:17 am
No dis to others calling for other positions that are needed, i get it, and we’ll address them. But we have the GOAT at QB, and he needs his weapons, the kind that work reliably.
Olave
Logan Hall
Alontae Taylor
Ed Ingram
Matt Araiza
D’Marco Jackson
April 14th, 2022 at 1:28 am
Sure, neglect the defense.
Look, I won’t complain if we add another explosive element to the offense… but seriously, we could be a more balanced team if we had a better D-line and didn’t have to blitz so much… Not drafting for defense this year is criminal negligence.
And stop trying to lure Brady back for next year. He’s not coming back. Frankly, with this whole retirement/unretirement nonsense this year, I’m done with Brady. I now believe he was trying to leverage his way to Miami, and I don’t respect it.
April 14th, 2022 at 2:10 am
They absolutely must devote the majority of personnel moves to DEFENSE. That is what will win a SB. Stockpile defense, pass rushers, corners, DL. Create a terrifying defense, please.
More skill position depth can wait for later.
The obvious wrench in this entire process is Gronk. If he doesn’t come back, suddenly a starting TE goes to the top of the list. Pray this isn’t going to happen.
April 14th, 2022 at 2:16 am
What Sasquatch said.
April 14th, 2022 at 3:10 am
Music to my ears and if Olave is there for us at 27 and we take him, I will run around the block in my drawers. If not, hopefully we go defense at 27 and see what receivers might be had in rounds two or three. We have nothing but 5th stringers after Gage.
April 14th, 2022 at 3:23 am
@saquatch
Piss off. You have no clue what Tom will do next year or not just like I bet you thought he wouldn’t play for the Bucs this season after his retirement. It’s in the best interest of this team for Brady to stay. Regardless of what you want or other lousy buc homers want.
April 14th, 2022 at 3:38 am
Red-sparrow … Sasquatch is right about focusing on defense in the draft. Doesn’t do any good for our offense to put up 30 PPG if our defense gives up more than that. There has to be a certain degree of BALANCE.
And as far as Brady returning for 2023, Tom Brady at age 45 has earned the right to make the decision year-to-year. Bucs have no idea what his decision will be for 2023, and I suspect neither does Tom Brady at this point. He certainly didn’t ‘un-retire’ for 2022 because of what we’re paying him. He’s The GOAT because he KNOWS he can turn this Bucs team into a winner … and WINNING is what drives him. The Miami thing BTW is nothing but ridiculous media speculation.
April 14th, 2022 at 3:43 am
According to Tony Pauline, a good draft analyst, four pass rushers will be gone by pick no.8.
I like David Ojabo and Arnold Ebekite at the bottom of rd. 1, where TB is.
April 14th, 2022 at 4:43 am
What Defense said!
April 14th, 2022 at 4:51 am
The Bucs might be able to save some money by drafting Jahan Dotson and giving him Demar Dotson’s old jersey. Seriously though, I’d rather have the “Tampa Tornado” than Dotson.
April 14th, 2022 at 5:40 am
hilarious joe!! you have been bitzzing about pass rushers since the lost decade and now your ready to switch to the dark side and draft offense?? DT or DE with 27.
April 14th, 2022 at 6:18 am
Speculation is now reality indeed. No doubt about that. Man thats so true these days…well said.
“Im done with brady”. “Time to move on from brady”. “Tom brady is a meany …a poop head”. “He is to hollywood”. “He is a diva”
We literally have the worst fans. The greatest of all time at 45 years old is giving us a third year. He plays for around 25 mil per year. Played for less almost his entire career. Sold out games. Primetime tv games. Merchandise records. This franchise is a now a place where players want to actually go to win a championship. And who cares what he does next year. What is the drama people are talking about? His home home is in miami. Dude is all -in here for another title. Someone said it best yesterday- with his age and greatness going to drop one day in future both him and bucs are on borrowed time. Some people just cant enjoy this amazing ride for some reason. The best of all time chose a small market /losingest franchise bad news bears. And just like that we are competing for super bowls. Remember all the losing seasons before that?
– year 1 …super bowl
– year 2 …injuries and a dr jeckle & mr hyde defense cost us a second
– year 3 …looking really good if we can get better on defense /trenches
But yes the same people believe news story after news story cause they are simply doom and gloom believing sheepie. 🤣
April 14th, 2022 at 6:19 am
Joe I hear ya about getting TB12 more weapons but he’s has a lot already our defense needs this draft. We all know it wasn’t our offense that won us the super bowl actually our defense has now won us 2 Super Bowls. DEFENSE. We need to start stocking up weapons on defense.
April 14th, 2022 at 6:50 am
Get a WR in the later rounds. The Bucs have their top 3 WR signed for multiple years. Two out of the 3 were drafted 3rd round or later.
April 14th, 2022 at 6:55 am
So many decent free agent WR out there right now… Landry, Julio, Fuller, Hilton, Watkins, Cole etc… i know some are more expensive than others, but some will come relatively cheap and fill in with their experience like E.Sanders, AJ Green….
April 14th, 2022 at 7:24 am
The last first round draft was Mike Evans- can we find another Mike?
April 14th, 2022 at 7:25 am
A first round pick should be a 16 game starter unlike Joe Tyron. You got Godwin and Gage locked up for three years. Why draft a wide receiver at 27 when he will start 3 or 4 games and then sit on the bench. Plus its going to take him 3 or 4 games to get going.
April 14th, 2022 at 7:30 am
I am not sure why anybody would be worried about WR. We need a quality tight end or two. we may not be able to afford Gronk, but if we don’t sign him the thought of an aging Cam Brate ,not known for his blocking and only a 53 %
catch rate as the no. 1 tight is cause for concern ,IMO.
April 14th, 2022 at 7:31 am
^ tight end
April 14th, 2022 at 7:44 am
Right now tight end has no depth actually tight end depth is in the minus column. Defensive tackle has no depth and left guard has no front runner for the position. Linebacker David is injured. It seems like wide receiver should be farther down the draft board than 27.
April 14th, 2022 at 8:11 am
our d line wasnt the problem last year, our dbs were
April 14th, 2022 at 8:50 am
They can get receivers and running backs through free agency. Use the draft for linemen and defense. GOBUCS!
April 14th, 2022 at 9:47 am
get isaiah likely tight end in the second he catches everything get devonte wyatt (1) in the draft and get Suh back get a good wideout later–you are getting a catch everything in the air tightend get some corner depth too call it good after that
April 14th, 2022 at 12:18 pm
Pewter 941 … True about our Secondary being the bigger issue last season, but JL addressed that by re-signing Davis (who hopefully stays healthy) and signing FAs Ryan & Neal. Our issue right now is DLine … we’re down Suh, McLendon & JPP and have yet to replace any of the three. Even if we get all 3 of them back, we’d still need to draft at least 2 of their replacements high in this draft to rotate in with them this year AND more than likely replace them next year.
And as far as drafting a WR goes, WHY? That’s our deepest (and most expensive) position group man-for-man. We addressed last year’s loss (AB) by re-signing Chris Godwin & picking up Russell Gage in FA. The offensive position group we’re hurting in is TE like Bob in Valrico says. And especially if Gronk decides to stay retired. Personally wouldn’t draft a TE in Rnds 1-3, but grabbing a nice-sized TE who can block for starters (like Jelani Woods?).
April 14th, 2022 at 4:51 pm
Velys Jones from TN, Kevin Austin from ND or Calvin Audtin from Memphis. All may be available on day 3 of the draft.
Need DE, DT and TE on days 1 and 2.