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The Baltimore Ravens won’t waste time handing a debut to their newest wide receiver, former Tom Brady favorite Russell Gage. Head coach John Harbaugh revealed the veteran pass-catcher signed on Tuesday, August 6 will make his Ravens bow in Friday’s preseason opener against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Speaking to reporters after Tuesday’s practice, Harbaugh endorsed Gage’s arrival as “an opportunity for us. He’s a guy who is a proven player,” per ESPN’s Jamison Hensley.
The latter also relayed “Harbaugh joked that Gage got his helmet at 1 p.m. today and was out on the field 20 minutes later. Gage will play in Friday’s preseason opener.”
Harbaugh may have been only half-joking about how quickly Gage donned the pads for his new team. The former Atlanta Falcons wideout who was recruited by Brady to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2022 wasted no time going through his paces at camp.
Getting Gage up to speed quickly makes sense for a Ravens offense still needing reliable targets in the passing game.
Russell Gage Ready for Debut
Coming off a season-ending knee injury leaves Gage having to prove himself all over again. So it was a good sign when Hensley caught highlights of the 28-year-old immediately entering the fray at Tuesday’s practice.
Gage enjoyed plenty of positive moments during his first outing. He “was involved in some red zone work, and caught a couple of touchdown passes in a red-zone period,” according to Bo Smolka of PressBox.
These are the first steps toward Gage being ready for his debut. Hensley’s reference to the player’s statistics in 2022 also serves as a reminder about why Brady, arguably the greatest quarterback in NFL history, was so keen to bring Gage to Tampa just over two years ago.
Brady always valued receivers who could make the tough catches and win between the numbers. Those have been Gage’s strengths when healthy.
The same traits are why he’s an excellent fit to help Ravens’ franchise QB Lamar Jackson continue his maturation as a passer.
Ravens Needed Another Weapon for Lamar Jackson
Jackson made strides as a thrower in 2023 largely thanks to the emergence of first-round draft pick Zay Flowers. The rookie gave Jackson a dependable and versatile target over the middle.
It’s a role Gage can also adopt thanks to qualities like those described by Hensley’s colleague Mina Kimes in ’22. She credited Gage with “Inside/out versatility, shifty at the LOS, consistently gets separation in the short area, great hands.”
Gage has the tools to be a complementary weapon behind primary wideouts Flowers and Nelson Agholor. That’s assuming Gage continues to make a positive impression during the remainder of offseason work.
It shouldn’t be too difficult for a savvy veteran with a proven track record to play his way into a rotation still hampered by more than a few doubts. Those doubts include rookie Devontez Walker being inexperienced, despite his obvious potential as a vertical threat, along with the recent injury suffered by inconsistent Rashod Bateman.
Making the most of whatever snaps he gets against the Eagles is the next step toward Gage proving he’s more than just a camp body and can secure a final roster spot.
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