Singing The Praises Of Russell Gage
July 22nd, 2022
More good intel.
For quite a few weeks there, Joe was sweating over new Bucs receiver Russell Gage.
He got hurt early in spring practices and didn’t get back on the field. Tom Brady even admitted Gage had a lot of work to catch up on before he could settle in comfortably as a starting Bucs receiver.
As Joe understands it from an NFL source, Gage is good to go when training camp opens next week. And Joe was reminded by Adam Rank of NFL.com that Brady has a great habit of making pedestrian slot receivers look good. Gage is better than pedestrian.
So all that calmed Joe down.
In Warren Sharp’s 2022 Football Preview, the noted Vegas handicapper and NFL data analyst details that Gage is very undderrated.
… After catching 72-of-109 targets for 786 yards for four touchdowns in 2020, Gage stepped up again this past season, securing 66-of-94 targets for 770 yards and another four scores. Atlanta was pressed to lean on Gage after Calvin Ridley left the team, which let Gage blossom.
After running 65.3% of his routes from the slot over his first three years in the league, Gage played outside on 50.4% of his routes in 2021.He answered the call. Gage led the
Falcons with 2.84 yards per route run against man coverage in 2021 per Pro Football Focus, a mark that was 11th in the league this past season.The Buccaneers are more than familiar with Gage, who has caught 45-of-63 targets for 461 yards and two touchdowns against the Bucs in six games against Tampa Bay the past three years. … While Gage has been at his best needing to accrue a large dose of targets to absences on the roster, there are paths here for him to still make an impact… in Tampa. Gage just turned 26 years old this past January. He joins a Tampa Bay offense led by Tom Brady, that has run the most passing plays (1,402) in the NFL over the past two seasons. This past season, Tampa Bay had 595 dropbacks with three or more wide receivers on the field, which was third in the league. Gage also can get an early season bump with the timing of Chris Godwin’s injury. Godwin tore his ACL back on December 19th, placing his early-season availability in jeopardy. With the Bucs playing for a Super Bowl or bust, expect them to ensure Godwin is fully ready before forcing him onto the field. Gage has solid WR2/WR3 value for early season production while full season WR3/FLEX appeal joining the Bucs.
The more Joe studies Gage, the more Joe gets excited. The former Dixie Chicks receiver is a proven slot receiver so he should do well filling in for Chris Godwin.
When Godwin returns, Gage can just move outside.
Yeah, for a while there, Joe was concerned about Gage. No longer. Joe’s looking forward to watching how he fits in.
The BoGo has Joe considering buying a new fridge & filling it 1 can at a time. https://t.co/Z3VXbVBvo8
— JoeBucsFan (@JoeBucsFan) July 22, 2022
July 22nd, 2022 at 5:48 am
Great news!
July 22nd, 2022 at 6:26 am
Gage is one of my favorite offseason signing.
July 22nd, 2022 at 6:55 am
Hey Joe-
Have you guys covered the shameful new ticket policies by some genius in the Bucs front office?
I just got a notice yesterday…I have to commit to buying tickets for 2023 by the end of this month (July 2022). It os required. And then allow monthly credit card withdrawals, which once committed to, put you on the hook for the full ticket price. So I will br committed to, and start paying, for NEXT year’s season tickets over a year in advance…before any regular season games are played THIS year.
And thr kicker? I am on the hook for the tickets even if the Bucs decide to, at a later date, raise ticket prices. I can only get out of it if the price increases are greater than 7.5%.
Absolutely shameful.
July 22nd, 2022 at 8:05 am
Gage is a very necessary piece to our offense…..our WR3 would be a question mark otherwise.
July 22nd, 2022 at 9:35 am
MRWright88 Says:
July 22nd, 2022 at 6:55 am
Hey Joe-
Have you guys covered the shameful new ticket policies by some genius in the Bucs front office?
I agree. It feels like the Buc’s are actually ready to suck in 2023 and beyond to me. I looked back at 2018 end of the season, when the Buc’s ticket management actually gave me two free tickets for the Carolina game for being a season ticketholder. It wasn’t just to me; it was to all their season ticket holders. If you believe that you will have a competitive product, you don’t need to have that policy.
July 22nd, 2022 at 9:38 am
MRWRIGTH88,
This isn’t new. I’ve been using the 12 month payment plan for season tickets for over 15 years.
The percent increase for retroactively opting out has changed from 5% to 7.5%, but that’s the only difference.
How do you expect to use a 12 month payment plan, if you aren’t paying every month?
Just remove yourself from the 12 month plan and write them a check once a year.
July 22nd, 2022 at 9:55 am
I like Gage.
July 22nd, 2022 at 10:20 am
I imagine once Godwin gets back he & Gage will be able to work inside and outside, as we know our offense tends to move all of our WRs around to test different matchups and exploit coverage holes. Gage going from a mid-tier passing attack in ATL to a top 5 passing attack in Tampa, means there’s more opportunities to eat and show all of what he flashed in matchups as against us.
July 22nd, 2022 at 10:22 am
Like Trask I have hope, but haven’t seen anything on the field.
On paper the Bucs look good almost all the way down the roster.
July 22nd, 2022 at 10:33 am
I was grateful when the Bucs shifted to the 12 month payment plan. Before that plan, you either had to pay in full up front or pay in two installments. The Bucs are in high demand now, so the fans are going to have to pay the premium. I am fine with it for now. If we start to suck after this season, I’m sure the Glazers will adjust just like in the past.
July 22nd, 2022 at 10:34 am
Great. I thought he might be. I feel they would of made what the injury was public a while ago if he was going to miss a lot of time in OTA and possibly starting season.
July 22nd, 2022 at 11:02 am
This is good news!
Otton: Healthy.
Gage: Healthy.
Now if only Gronk would feel healthy enough to want to play this year. (Pipe dream, I know, but I’m optimistic HA HA).
July 22nd, 2022 at 11:51 am
Imagine if AB hadn’t gone bonkers and we had him this season, too. AB, Godwin, Evans and Gage. That would have been insane. Still, Godwin, Evans and Gage is an AWESOME starting trio. And solid RBs who can catch. Love it. TB is gonna have lots of targets.
July 22nd, 2022 at 2:03 pm
Hopefully the ” mystry” injury IS really healed. & behind him..
July 22nd, 2022 at 9:26 pm
I’m glad to hear that Gage can hold down the slot for Godwin, then move outside.
July 23rd, 2022 at 12:11 am
Kody… if AB wasn’t a diva a-hole Gage would not be here.
GAGE was a great signing. Finally brought in some youth