The Ravens have added Russell Gage to their wide receiver room. It’s a very Ravens-esque kind of acquisition, seeking value in the land of discarded veterans.
Gage is nearly 12 months removed from suffering a torn patellar injury that happened at the New York Jets’ practice facility during a joint session between the Jets and the Tampa Bay Bucs.
The scouting report on Gage before the Falcons selected him with the 20th pick of the sixth round during the 2018 NFL Draft per NFL.com read in part:
Plus athlete with loose hips, light feet, and a plus burst. Energetic, highly competitive, and fearless. Loves to play the game and cherishes his role as a special teams ace. Kick cover specialist with a gunner background on punt team. Finished his career with 17 special teams tackles. Ornery open field runner on jet sweeps. Hurdled tackler against Alabama, Auburn, and Florida. Has a second gear in his engine. Plays with heart. Good bounce to gain separation when sticking and stemming. Shows elevated focus with willingness to lay out for the catch when tracking the deep throw.
One NFC regional scout described Gage as a player with an, “Infectious style of play and loves to get it. He’s a dog on special teams, man! I love watching his tape because you can just see how much he loves to play.”
Some fans get frustrated with the Ravens when they hear about AFC North rivals trying to obtain Brandon Aiyuk from the 49ers. But entering the bidding war for Aiyuk is just not their style. Besides, the Ravens have a decent wide receiver room, and they really don’t need to burden their cap to acquire a player who might be overkill in a run-first offense. Saving limited cap dollars while augmenting the roster through efficiency, is the modus operandi of GM Eric DeCosta. As it should be.
Count me among those who see this signing as one that provides value with little risk. For the record, here’s a peek at Gage’s career stats along with some highlights.
The Ravens are getting a DOG in Russell Gage pic.twitter.com/JMR2f6Yi6h
— Kevin Oestreicher (@koestreicher34) August 6, 2024
Lamar to Zay
It’s a daily feature of camp – Lamar Jackson to Zay Flowers. Given his familiarity with the offense as opposed to this time last year, Flowers offers a rare combination of intelligence, veteran-like savvy, suddenness and a burst. Not to mention an incredible rapport with Lamar. When plays break down and No. 8 is forced to extend, Flowers understands what to do and where to go to provide an outlet. He can turn a busted play into one that busts an opponent’s will. He’s a player who Lamar can bank on, always there when needed. Kind of like casino players and Cherry Gold instant banking.
.@Lj_era8 ➡️ @ZayFlowers 💐 pic.twitter.com/6AR3EpttTj
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) August 6, 2024
That Other TE
Charlie Kolar has had a steady camp but too often gets lost in the brilliance of Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely. Kolar is in a tough spot and isn’t likely (no pun intended) to get many snaps outside of special teams.
Kolar has the talent to be an effective receiving tight end in the league. As a blocking tight end, he’s a work in progress but that said, Kolar is putting in the work to earn more snaps in Todd Monken’s offense. The 2022 128th overall pick (11 picks before Likely), admits to leaning on others to help round out his game:
‘Mo’ [Morgan Moses] was my first two years. I really was close with ‘Mo’ and Ronnie [Stanley]; Ronnie is still here. [Patrick] Mekari is great. I mean, I work with – in the offseason – an old tight end: Logan Paulsen. He’s helped me out a lot. He’s an old blocking tight end from the Commanders. He’s been great with me. And then Nick Boyle and Pat [Ricard] … Just in my room, too, Pat is basically an O-lineman who can run. It’s not an insult; like, he’s just that good. There are so many good people to learn from, and so, yes, I’ve been very blessed. I’m very blessed.”
Ravens TE Charlie Kolar on how he got healthier this off-season:
“I switched from Bud heavys to Bud Lights.” 💀💀💀#RavensFlock pic.twitter.com/wepX0EVqH7
— Melissa Y. Kim (@melissaykim) August 6, 2024
It isn’t hard to envision Kolar having success during the preseason. Andrews won’t see any action and Likely will be limited at best. It’s also not hard to envision Kolar attracting the attention of other teams and as we all know, EDC is all about dealing from a position of strength to help improve the roster.
What’s Good for The Goose…
The Ravens practice fumble recoveries during camp and one of the ways they do this is to simulate recoveries in inclement weather. Enter the hose!
Rookies are forced to do a little more – to fight through what amounts to a super soaker while attempting their respective fumble recoveries – a drill that adds a little levity to a hot, uncomfortable practice. And let’s give John Harbaugh some credit for mixing it up with his players while employing the old idiom, “what’s good for the goose is good for the gander”.
Coach is GOATED for this 😂🔥 pic.twitter.com/AYiFYWGmPn
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) August 6, 2024
Hard Knocks
Speaking of “The Goose”, whenever I begin to watch a new “Hard Knocks” season, I’m always reminded of the HBO series’ inaugural season with the Ravens. The clear stars of that season were Tony Siragusa and Shannon Sharpe, which aired immediately following the Ravens Super Bowl winning campaign during the 2000 season.
This Tim Johnson parody of Sharpe that took place during that Hard Knocks season just never gets old.
Still one of the most iconic moments in #HardKnocks history 😂 @ShannonSharpe | @Ravens pic.twitter.com/d7frhjRfAH
— NFL Films (@NFLFilms) August 5, 2024
This season of Hard Knocks features the Chicago Bears which premiered last night on HBO and Max.
I’ll be checking it out this evening. Thoughts to follow.
Putting it All Together
No matter what you do in life, this message is relevant. I encourage everyone to spend the next 4 minutes taking it in, delivered by Col. Gregory Gadson, a retired US Army Commander. He’s earned your respect with his service. Now, he’ll earn it for his poignant words.
It's really about 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗳.
Wired from Training Camp drops tonight ➡️ https://t.co/grG7Bwopwu pic.twitter.com/ztRoHCFovU
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) August 7, 2024
