Report: Russell Gage Done For The Year
August 16th, 2023
Awful news.
It must be a horrible injury for Russell Gage if this prognosis is already being reported by one of the top national NFL scribes working for the league’s own network.
About an hour after Russell Gage went down with what looked to be an awful injury in the Bucs-Jets scrimmage in New Jersey this morning, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports Gage is done for the 2023 season.
After Gage went down after a standard, ordinary-looking hit, he crumpled and was in obvious pain. He laid on the ground for some two minutes before being carted off the field. Dan Lucas of WFLA-TV Channel 8 reported that Gage was carted off near him and that Gage was “emotional.”
Joe noticed Gage had his face buried in his hands as he left the field.
For a diagnosis to be determined this quickly, Joe can only guess the injury was gruesome in nature.
#Bucs WR Russell Gage suffered a non-contact knee injury during today's joint practice with the #Jets and the belief heading into exams is that the severe injury will end his season, per me and @MikeGarafolo. A hit to WR depth and crushing for Gage.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 16, 2023
August 16th, 2023 at 11:52 am
Well, he won’t be missed because he never did anything anyway. I’m feel for him personally though.
August 16th, 2023 at 11:52 am
Lovely … Dude never leveled up here
August 16th, 2023 at 11:52 am
Sad but not shocking news. The door just opened for David Moore et al. But especially Moore.
August 16th, 2023 at 11:53 am
Opens up opportunity for Thompkins, Palmer, Jarrett, Moore. Not terribly worried about the affect on depth. Awful injury for Gage. I feel bad for that guy — his time in Tampa was totally cursed from the beginning. Good luck to him in his rehab and recovery.
August 16th, 2023 at 11:53 am
To Bad. Next man up.
August 16th, 2023 at 11:54 am
Trey Palmer time he’s the next star
August 16th, 2023 at 11:55 am
man, how did this dude stay healthy playing on falcon turf, yet on grass gets hurt over and over….
August 16th, 2023 at 11:57 am
Man, I feel awful for the dude. Very hard to have your career interrupted with so many lower body injuries at the skill positions.
Worried about the depth at WR.
I know Palmer looks great and all but he’s still a rookie and Evans and Godwin usually miss some games as the season wears on.
August 16th, 2023 at 11:57 am
Terrible news. Feel bad for the guy.
August 16th, 2023 at 12:00 pm
Injury settlements for Gage.and Jensen would free up 10 million in salary cap space.
August 16th, 2023 at 12:00 pm
“I know Palmer looks great and all but he’s still a rookie and Evans and Godwin usually miss some games as the season wears on.”
Great point, Eliot. Neither Godwin nor Evans make it all 16 games, hardly ever. The other receivers will really have to step up.
August 16th, 2023 at 12:01 pm
Yea that’s rough man and this is where you have to get these guys are just like you and me. It’s next man up on every job because people come and go. I’m sure he’s thinking about his future. He may never be a WR-3 again
August 16th, 2023 at 12:02 pm
Nice job reporting on no injuries yesterday Joe. Another poster even called you out on it. Tempting and mocking the laws of football.
Bad move…
Please refrain from such behavior
August 16th, 2023 at 12:02 pm
Can’t say he will be missed. He was rarely on the field.
August 16th, 2023 at 12:02 pm
“non-contact knee injury”
I know the feeling. I wiped my tush this morning and got a non-contact back injury. Of course…I’m almost 60, and everything on my old man body hurts all the time.
August 16th, 2023 at 12:16 pm
He will never get guaranteed money again if if if he ever comes back at all. He is now and for life going to be known as “injury prone”.
August 16th, 2023 at 12:19 pm
Of course he will be missed……This might mean Warner makes the cut.
August 16th, 2023 at 12:20 pm
Sucks for him but the Bucs already moved on from him.
August 16th, 2023 at 12:24 pm
What a waste of signing. It’s obvious he doesn’t take his job 100%. Always hurt
August 16th, 2023 at 12:28 pm
Figures.
August 16th, 2023 at 12:31 pm
This is simply nonsense.
Guy busted his arse. Working your brains out has zero connection with a guy turning brittle. He never dealt with injuries before he signed with the Bucs. People’s bodies are different and age different.
If Gage turned brittle in his late 20s, which he has, it won’t get better as you age. Just a very bad luck signing. It happens.
Maybe he worked out too much?
August 16th, 2023 at 12:34 pm
This just keeps getting worse for Gage, the guy just can’t catch a break. The bright side, if there is any, is that Gage wasn’t really healthy the majority of the time he was here and this allow others such as Trey Palmer ang Jarret to step up.
August 16th, 2023 at 12:40 pm
@ Joe
Just curious – Ian Rapoport stated it was a non-contact injury. You stated it appeared to be a normal looking tackle.
Which one was it?
August 16th, 2023 at 12:40 pm
Some fans are just sick, production is one thing getting a severe injury is another. Send prayers to gage
August 16th, 2023 at 12:44 pm
wish him all the best, but it is probably for the best for the team. next man will be ready.
August 16th, 2023 at 12:54 pm
Joe,
Last year, I was peeved about the Case of the Missing Diagnosis/Prognosis for Jensen. The Bucs were not required to give an injury report on Jensen due to when it happened (training camp, yes?).
Curious if now, with Gage, can/will the Bucs give an official diagnosis/prognosis, or do the rules state the Bucs aren’t required to?
I wish Gage all the best in his recovery.
August 16th, 2023 at 12:59 pm
What a shame, we need every weapon we can get.
Moore and Palmer are direct beneficiaries of this development but no matter what Gage did prior, no one deserves to go out via injury and those hating on him right now should be ashamed
August 16th, 2023 at 1:00 pm
to be honest, thankfully it happened now. it was going to happen, hes soft. now they have time to get palmer ready.
August 16th, 2023 at 1:02 pm
Gage seems like a good guy who cares about the game. Just couldn’t stay healthy here. Feel so bad for him, I had high hopes for him this year. I hate to say it, but an injury settlement with Jensen and Gage would free up some much needed space for extensions. Silver lining, some young guys get a chance to step up.
August 16th, 2023 at 1:04 pm
Well this really sucks. A healthy Gage could have made a huge impact, especially if it turns out Baker is QB1. His ability to get open on short and intermediate crossing routes plus YAC could have seen him lead the team in receptions and even yards. It’s like he’s been cursed since he came here. Even with his injuries last year (and playing hurt often) he was very productive when on the field as Joe pointed out some time ago when he posted his stats.
Some “fans” want to ridicule him and call him “fragile” or “injury prone”. Nobody who plays football their whole life against top, huge, strong athletes is “fragile”. They should try padding up sometime.
Bo Jackson had his career cut way short due to injury. Was he “fragile”? Brain Bosworth would beg to differ. It’s the NFL and it happens. Are Jensen and Godwin fragile? Of course not but they get a pass as “fan favorites” who have been here and produced before they went down. Well Gage produced plenty and was relatively injury-free with Atlanta. Lady luck doesn’t care what uniform you’re wearing or what your career stats are. She’s just a biotch.
I hope Gage can come back eventually or at the very least not suffer long-term effects from whatever this injury may be. I wish him well.
Now it’s time for others to step up
August 16th, 2023 at 1:05 pm
I feel really bad for him, but of any position, the #3 receiver has the most alternative options. I don’t think most people really figured he’d be on the field for a whole season anyway, sorry to say.
August 16th, 2023 at 1:09 pm
Ugh, I feel awful for him.
I understand why a lot of fans have been frustrated with him, he’s been injured the entire time he’s been here more or less. But I don’t fault him for that. And the truth is he battled through a lot of injuries last year to get on the field and made plays, including taking some bone crushing hits to hang on to passes from Brady.
Sounded like he was finally almost healthy and then this… just a bad situation. At least for our team, we have decent WR depth. But Gage is a vet and its hard to replace that knowledge / experience with rookies.
August 16th, 2023 at 1:12 pm
I feel for the man. But speaking from an acquisition standpoint he is right up there with Alvin Harper but happier..
August 16th, 2023 at 1:15 pm
Honestly feel for the guy but he’s never been a factor and because of his injury history I had low expectations.
August 16th, 2023 at 1:15 pm
Honestly feel for the guy but he’s never been a factor and because of his injury history I had pretty low expectations.
August 16th, 2023 at 1:21 pm
It’s a good thing that the Bucs are deep at receiver! Some of those rookies will have to play large now!
August 16th, 2023 at 1:27 pm
No Jensen and questionable depth at receiver to start the season. Sounds familiar. At least we dont have to count on Lefty to figure it out, and there is plenty of opportunity for someone to be the guy to have success running routes with Evans and Godwin. Tough break for Gage, and he did contribute 51 catches for 426yrds and 5 TDs when he played. I think we have a few of young guys that could absorb those numbers. LFG.
August 16th, 2023 at 1:29 pm
Joe, you know you’re not supposed to write articles about the lack of injuries. Now this.
August 16th, 2023 at 1:38 pm
Wish Gage the best and a speedy recovery.
But from a football standpoint Gage will join the long list of Jason Licht free agent bust that includes Michael Ghost Johnson, Anthony Collins, Mike Jenkins/Tim Jennings, Vinny Curry, Swaggy Baker and many more.
August 16th, 2023 at 1:40 pm
Marine Buc, in an earlier article Joe said the Jets defender just kinda pushed him down. They seem to be saying Gaged hurt his knee before contact. In my experience strictly from watching football games says it’s 90% likely to be an ACL, a hamstring, or an Achilles. They’re saying knee and out all year so you can safely bet that it’s the ACL.
August 16th, 2023 at 1:47 pm
Sad for Gage but he was paid a lot to produce so little. His prior Bucs stats were in garbage time so he won’t be missed. Now deal with Jensen.
August 16th, 2023 at 1:59 pm
Fred McNeil says: “ In my experience strictly from watching football games says it’s 90% likely to be an ACL, a hamstring, or an Achilles.
Wow, what a genius you are there. Mind. BLOWN… Just. Wow.
August 16th, 2023 at 2:14 pm
DS … ‘Some fans are just sick, production is one thing getting a severe injury is another. Send prayers to Gage’.
I heartedly second that DS. Russell Gage had only missed 4 games TOTAL in 4 years with Atlanta prior to coming here. For whatever reason, he’s obviously been snakebit as a Buc, but that’s surely no fault of his own. When healthy, he was a very productive #3 receiver, and we desperately need someone to fill that role in this offense. Hopefully his injury isn’t as serious as initial reports have made it sound, and he recovers to rejoin us this year.
This BTW is one part of the salary CAP that I dislike greatly. When key players with big salaries get injured long-term, and have to be placed on IR, the team has to eat their entire salary. That almost always means filling the spot with a player not nearly as talented, either by promoting someone from the Practice Squad or signing a FA to fill the spot. Would much rather see an ‘Adjusted Salary CAP Impact’ (say 50% or less instead of 100%) so that the team can sign a decent player to take his spot.
August 16th, 2023 at 2:34 pm
Honestly…IMHO he was stealing money and taking up a roster spot. We seen Carl Nicks before.
August 16th, 2023 at 2:35 pm
What??? When healthy, he was a very productive #3 receiver, <<< please SHOW me the stats…defense.
August 16th, 2023 at 2:36 pm
It’s probably better that he’s hurt now and lost for the season since he is always on IR during the season.
August 16th, 2023 at 2:50 pm
“Maybe he worked out too much?”
Possible. The hamstrings pull the tibia (shin bone) backward, reducing the strain on the ACL. IF the injury is an ACL tear on the same leg as his reoccurring hamstring injury, it could be speculated that his ACL was experiencing more force than normal because his hamstring has been injured. It seems the hamstring has been a nagging injury for over a year. Perhaps he tried to return to action too quickly last year and the thing never healed.
August 16th, 2023 at 2:50 pm
This guy was a bad signing and was always injured and never really performed. Looks like a roster spot just opened up for one these younger guys.
August 16th, 2023 at 3:36 pm
He was a great sign because he basically would’ve been the best third receiver in the NFL given his track record at ATL.
Unfortunately, he’s been injured since he came here, cut ties and move on.
August 16th, 2023 at 3:38 pm
Donuts- look at his stats from ATL. People are bashing the guy saying horrible signing… No it was not. He would have been the best third receiver in the NFL. You can’t predict hamstrings and blown out knees.
August 16th, 2023 at 3:38 pm
Some of you guys. It’s not like he wants to be hurt.
August 16th, 2023 at 4:08 pm
I never wish bad on anyone…But I said back in July Cut him because he is Useless and injury prone….Dumb Dumb Coaches still kept him I don’t know what they saw in him…. Damm fools
August 16th, 2023 at 4:08 pm
Well looks like Gage is going to get an injury settlement. If I was Jason I would use the money to find another OL asap.
August 16th, 2023 at 4:09 pm
Really disappointed in the short yardage plays. Been working all training camp on a better run game??
August 16th, 2023 at 4:11 pm
Dude could separate and he played really hard
Sucks
brutal luck for him and the team
August 16th, 2023 at 4:18 pm
LET THE KIDS PLAY!
Palmer
Thompkins
Garret
Geiger
Warner to practice squad.
August 16th, 2023 at 4:18 pm
Russel Gage, oh man…..best wide receiver in the Bucs 4th string WR’s corps are getting depleted.
August 16th, 2023 at 5:30 pm
This BTW is one part of the salary CAP that I dislike greatly…..
Thanks for the explanation D.R, Thats what I was wondering…. as well.
Looks like Jensen is done he obviously doesnt want surgery, and he cant play…
Time for a injury settlement.
August 16th, 2023 at 6:57 pm
Really sorry to hear. Sure, he was grossly overpaid, but he was a decent contributor as a third WR. On a personal level you have to feel bad whenever these young men suffer severe injury.
August 16th, 2023 at 7:26 pm
no contact==equals acl, mcl, achilles those are the serious ones that mean season over career sounds like it may be over, he is injury prone to the extreme
August 17th, 2023 at 6:36 am
Why put them on the depth chart. They never last a season. dude is made of glass