During Wednesday’s joint practice between the Bucs and the Jets, wide receiver Russell Gage was injured after a non-contact injury. Based on the initial reactions from both him and the players kneeling down around him afterward, it did not appear to look good at first glance.

Further reports have confirmed the severity of his injury as he left the field in tears.

Russell Gage Suffered A Likely Season-Ending Injury

ESPN NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler was among the first to report the unfortunate news regarding Russell Gage.

For Gage, it is obviously a worst-case scenario for him, especially as he was beginning to turn the corner and separate himself in training camp. Just last week, he said that “I’m feeling really good. The training staff has done a great job of working me back in slowly. Helping me hit the ground running, it’s feeling really good out here, and I’m loving it.”

Last year, he played through a hamstring injury and suffered a concussion in the playoff game against the Cowboys. Now, he will be unable to contribute at all to a Bucs’ offense that could have used his efforts and skillset greatly.

Bucs HC Todd Bowles Comments On Gage’s Injury

Bucs HC Todd Bowles – Photo by: Adam Slivon/PR

After the joint practice, Bucs head coach Todd Bowles discussed the injury.

“We hear it’s going to be pretty serious,” Bowles said. “I’ll wait to hear the final results, but he’s been battling back for the last, obviously, since he’s been here it seems like. We wish him the best. I can tell by the way he was sitting on the truck that it’s probably something pretty bad. Our hearts go out to him and we’ll see how it goes.”

Bowles alluded to the bad luck Gage has had since joining the team, and without him, it leaves the team lacking experience beyond Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. The most likely candidate to fill his role is Trey Palmer, with other options like Deven Thompkins and David Moore moving up the depth chart.

Chris Godwin Discusses Gage Injury And Young Guys Needing To “Step Up”

After practice, Bucs receiver Chris Godwin also spoke on the injury and what it means for the rest of the receivers jostling for position on the depth chart.

Bucs WRs Russell Gage and Chris Godwin – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

“Man, my heart goes out to Russ,” Godwin said. “That’s my dog, and he’s been battling some things since he’s been here, so to see him go down again is very, very tough. I’ll be praying for him and I’m going to check in on him when I get in here. I don’t know how serious it is, but hopefully, it’s not too bad. You hate to see it with anybody, but especially someone like that you’re close with.”

Now more than ever the Bucs need to adopt the “next man up” mentality.

“There’s an opportunity now for other guys to step in and we got a great group of young guys that have been working their asses off all camp, Godwin added. “Now it’s time to see who is going to step up and be able to fill that big void there. We’ll see how that plays out.”

As the Bucs prepare to play their second preseason game against the Jets, the expectation was that he would play and it would be a great chance to showcase his return to full health.

Now with a setback that will leave him off the field in 2023, it is up to some younger receivers to make up for what they lost.

Stay tuned into Pewter Report’s continued coverage of the Bucs vs. Jets joint practice in New Jersey.