The Tampa Bay Buccaneers gave Tom Brady another weapon by signing wide receiver Russell Gage, who just enjoyed two straight stellar seasons with the Atlanta Falcons. It turns out Brady played a key role in recruiting Gage to the Buccaneers, making an important call at the start of free agency.

Hilariously, Gage admitted Friday he thought he was getting pranked when he heard Brady on the other line. Via PFT's Michael David Smith:

The 26-year-old Gage said he has admired Brady for so long that when he got a call from Brady saying that he’d be a great fit with the Bucs, he wondered if it could be real.

Gage was not being pranked, and he wound up joining the Buccaneers on a three-year, $30 million deal. $20 million of that contract is guaranteed.

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The wideout set a new career high in receiving yards per game in 2021, hauling in 66 catches for 770 yards and four scores in 14 games. In 2020, he set career highs with 72 catches and 786 yards in 16 games.

Gage joins a loaded Buccaneers wide receiver crops that has Mike Evans and Chris Godwin in place as the top dogs. Gage will slot in as the No. 3 wide receiver when everybody is healthy, but it remains to be seen when Godwin is ready to play again after his torn ACL. If he's not back for the start of the 2022 season, Gage will have to step up.

Gage is used to taking on a bigger role with key wide receivers missing time, as it happened in 2020 with Julio Jones and in 2021 with Calvin Ridley.