Grading each announced jersey number for new Buccaneers signings

Russell Gage – Wearing number 17 for the Buccaneers

This writer is of the opinion that 17 is actually a pretty cool number for a wide receiver. However, if Twitter is any indication that mindset may result in being on an island. As a writer of the people, ya gotta do what ya gotta do and grade fairly.

The reason for Russell Gage’s grade is simply because the Bucs already have two wide receivers ahead of him that have numbers in the teens in Mike Evans in 13 with Chris Godwin with 14 (a number previously worn by Gage).

You see kids, up until WAY back in a time called the early-2000s, wide receivers would wear numbers in the 80s. What’s old is new again, as evident by the excitement over the return of the creamsicle kits, so seeing a Bucs wide receiver catching passes with a number in the 80s NOT named Antonio Brown would have been refreshing.

The silver lining here is that Gage has a marvelous opportunity to put a stamp on 17 and really make it his own in the eyes of Buccaneers fans. His biggest completion is Steve DeBerg and of course, Michael Spurlock, who broke the curse of Buccaneers special teams by returning a kickoff for the first time in TEAM HISTORY in the year 2007 whilst wearing the number.

It’s also worth noting that the other number that Gage has worn in his career, 83, is being kept on the shelf, most likely out of respect for the late Vincent Jackson, so bonus points there.

GRADE: B