Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht did not go all out to bolster the offense over the free agency period, although he did bring in Russell Gage.
The Buccaneers and Gage came to terms on a three-year deal worth $30 million in March. Although there was much speculation that he would opt to return to the Atlanta Falcons, he instead decided to take his talents to the reigning NFC South champions. Gage ended up capping off his four-season run in Atlanta with 193 receptions and nine receiving touchdowns over 61 games played.
Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady featured at the team’s mandatory minicamp this week, and he spent some time working with Gage. With what he has already seen from the versatile wideout, Brady believes that Gage needs to rise to the occasion for the team and orchestrate a keen debut campaign in Tampa Bay.
“He has to have a big year,” Brady said during a press conference on Thursday. “We signed him to a contract and he has to come in and do a great job. In the time I've spent with him, I really enjoy it and I think he has a great opportunity.
“That is a very important role for an offense that throws the ball as much as we do. … I think Russ, when he is out there, there is a lot of work that needs to go into the next six weeks to be ready.”
Out of the four wideouts who took part in at least 20 percent of snaps on offense for Tampa Bay last season, only Antonio Brown will not be featuring for the team in the 2022 campaign. In the big picture, Brady sees much potential in what Tampa Bay’s wide receiver corps will be able to bring to the table in the upcoming season.
“We have depth at receiver – obviously, Mike [Evans] is a great player,” Brady said. “Chris [Godwin] is coming off a pretty significant injury. … And Scotty [Miller], ‘BP' (Breshad Perriman), Cyril [Grayson Jr.], Jaelon [Darden], Tyler [Johnson] – all those guys who have experience and have played, they have to do a great job too.
“It's a very competitive room.”
Brady will next have a chance to work with his wide receiver unit during the Buccaneers’ training camp schedule in July.
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