Russell Gage No Deep Threat (Yet)
October 7th, 2022
Yet to be maximized.
If this isn’t a tell, Joe doesn’t know what a tell is.
Per NextGen Stats, 57 receivers have run at least 100 routes this season. All but three have run at least one deep route.
(This stat was compiled before that atrocity on Amazon last night. Happily, Joe decided not to tangle with Amazon for that game and Joe sure as hell won’t next week when Washington plays Chicago. Hard pass! For the love of all that is holy, Roger Goodell, will you please STOP cramming the Bears down the throats of innocent Americans? Enough!)
One of those three receivers is Russell Gage of the Bucs. The others are Michael Pittman and the immortal Parris (Island) Campbell.
So let Joe get this straight: The Bucs signed a pure possession receiver for $30 million over three years?
Joe has to be fair. It’s pretty clear why Gage hasn’t run one deep route through four games. He’s battling a hamstring injury since early in training camp. You know, from the AdventHamstring Training Center.
If the Bucs use Gage like that with a gimpy hamstring, Gage could really blow that gasket on a deep route and possibly be lost for weeks.
So far, the Bucs have received little in return for all that Team Glazer loot, though Gage leads the team in total receptions with 21.
October 7th, 2022 at 12:03 pm
“Russell Gage of the Buds” – that’s what he’s be playing like recently. So does Mike have to do it all? Possession rec, deep threat, over the middle.
October 7th, 2022 at 12:03 pm
^^^ Forgot, Red Zone threat.
October 7th, 2022 at 12:11 pm
Gage is playing hurt…..has been….probably will be…..he doesn’t complain….just does his best…..makes catches thrown to him…….
Rooting for your good health, Russell……you’ll get there…..
October 7th, 2022 at 12:11 pm
Russell Gage of the buds can’t go deep. He has to stop halfway to get some snacks . The munchies are real.
October 7th, 2022 at 12:31 pm
He wasn’t exactly an All Pro with Atlanta either.
October 7th, 2022 at 12:34 pm
Joe,
I saw a few clips that showed Gage open in the game against the aints. Now, he wasn’t deep downfield, but he was open and created separation. Brady’s progression took him elsewhere. I think Gage will be huge for us soon.
Go Bucs
October 7th, 2022 at 12:51 pm
Gronk!
October 7th, 2022 at 12:54 pm
I was never down with paying all that money for Gage.
30 million is a lot of Money that could have been better spent elsewhere, IMHO
It looks like we wasted more money on our new Tight End, who appears to be slower then a Tampa Airport Taxi Cab.
Hicks can not seem to stay healthy, so more money wasted there.
October 7th, 2022 at 12:55 pm
Maybe this will be Otton and Gage’s coming out party….no not like Nassib’s.
October 7th, 2022 at 1:04 pm
Waiting for Gage to become the awesome receiver we know he is!! Hopefully he’ll start to light up opposing teams starting this week!! We need him as a big threat!!
October 7th, 2022 at 1:15 pm
3 year plan to keep Brady happy.
Money well spent!!!
October 7th, 2022 at 1:34 pm
I guess Rudolph gets to suit up this week
October 7th, 2022 at 1:42 pm
Has Gage really been any kind of threat at all? Hopefully it is because he is injured, because if not, we got shafted.
October 7th, 2022 at 1:44 pm
I’d be happy if he just didn’t fall down as soon as he caught a pass.
October 7th, 2022 at 2:05 pm
Rudolf was a total waste of $$ and a roster slot.. we really need to get the 2 rookie tight ends in the passing game…
October 7th, 2022 at 2:15 pm
Joe you forgot to mention that those 21 completions were on 25 attempts.
Gage is gimping through these early games on one wheel yet still managing to produce with an astounding 84% catch ratio.
October 7th, 2022 at 2:40 pm
Rest him this week
October 7th, 2022 at 3:06 pm
Just eliminate the word deep from your headline and it’ll sum it up more appropriately
October 7th, 2022 at 3:23 pm
Gage was needed as an outlet receiver for the first four weeks.
Now that other receivers are getting better, he has the chance to live to his full potential. He will probably go a little deeper each week, hopefully nothing pops.
October 7th, 2022 at 4:08 pm
He’s on pace for 89-90 receptions. Considering that $20 million per year wide receivers seem to be dropping out of the sky, Gage is earning his money. With the explosion of wr salaries, if he hit free agency again in 2023 with 89 receptions at his current yardage pace, he would seemingly be a lock to get $12-16 million per season.
If he gets his hammy better and can stretch out his AYC, he’s an $18 million man at a minimum with 89 receptions. Hopefully we can very much enjoy him as a bargain for all three seasons. If he posts around 90 receptions for two consecutive seasons in Tampa, a restructure prior to the 2024 season to increase $ and add years would probably be necessary to keep him.
October 7th, 2022 at 4:46 pm
I mean… I think you answered your own question Joe.
He’s clearly still injured.
October 7th, 2022 at 10:18 pm
He looked great against Green Bay except for his huge fumble. $10MM isn’t very much for a good wide out. I think it was money well spent. We need him and apparently TB12 likes throwing his way a lot.
October 8th, 2022 at 11:24 am
They don’t train hard enough, hit enough in practice or basically play in ANY preseason games anymore. They are treated like royalty and pampered and then expected to go on the season opener and play full speed, get hit full speed and get hurt full speed … I blame the LEAGUE injuries (it’s not just the bucs) on putting the highest paid players on a pedestal and not having them ready to be hit game day!!
October 8th, 2022 at 11:53 am
“He’s on pace for 80-90 receptions.” Huge eyeroll. Talk about lowest common denominator argument. Yeah dude, now tell me which one of is receptions have had any measurable impact. Have there been any routes other than a failed screen and a 5yrs out. Receptions is a meaningless stat, and a skewed stat. Give me a guy that has 4 receptions for 80 yards over 12 catches for 95 100 times out of a 100. Yards, first downs, chink plays and touchdowns matter