The Baltimore Ravens offense appears to be in pretty good shape heading into the 2024 campaign. Lamar Jackson is leading the way at quarterback, with talented playmakers in Derrick Henry, Mark Andrews, and Zay Flowers working alongside him. And yet, you can never have too much help on offense, which led the Ravens to make an interesting free agency move on Tuesday.

While pretty much every top free agency has found a new home by now, there are still some players available on the open market worth taking a flier on. One such guy who fits that bill is veteran wide receiver Russell Gage, and he ended up signing with the Ravens in an effort to get his career back on track after he missed the entire 2023 campaign with a ruptured patellar tendon.

Via Adam Schefter:

“Ravens signed veteran WR Russell Gage.”

Ravens taking a flier on Russell Gage

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Russell Gage (3) gives a press conference after training camp at AdventHealth Training Center.
Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

After being selected in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL Draft, Gage gradually turned himself into a key piece of the Atlanta Falcons offense during his four seasons with the team. His best season came in 2020, when he hauled in 72 passes for 786 yards and four touchdowns, and he was just as good in 2021, when he caught 66 passes for 770 yards and four touchdowns.

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Gage ended up landing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the 2022 campaign, and put up some strong numbers while working alongside Tom Brady (51 REC, 426 YDS, 5 TD). He ended up missing all of last season, though, and the Bucs opted to release him back in March in order to save themselves some money.

The Ravens have a talented group on offense, but there will certainly be an opportunity for Gage to find a role on this team. While Flowers is their clear cup top receiver, the rest of the guys at the wide receiver spot aren't all that inspiring, with Rashod Bateman and Nelson Agholor filling in the depth chart behind him. If Gage can hit the ground running, he could end up emerging as a solid option in the passing game.

Gage isn't a gamebreaker, but every offense needs secondary playmakers who can fill in the gaps and help their quarterback out. At his best, that's what Gage offers, and while he's attempting to make his way back from a serious injury, it's worth keeping an eye on him in training camp and preseason action to see if he can carve out a role for himself.