With the 49ers’ receiving heirarchy up in the air, veteran wideout Russell Gage has put himself in a strong position to be a key contributor for San Francisco during the 2025 NFL season.
Gage has missed the last two seasons after tearing his patellar tendon in August 2023, but the 29-year-old is making a strong impression on coach Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers.
“Yeah, he’s definitely given himself a chance,” Shanahan told reporters Thursday when asked about Gage’s prospects of making San Francisco’s 53-man roster. “I think Russ had a really good offseason. You know, I’ve always been a fan of Russell since he came out of college. I was a huge fan of his when he was in Atlanta and he signed that big deal with Tampa. Then he had some really bad luck with some injuries that almost ended his career, and I think he took about a year and a half off, I’m going to guess.
“We got him last year to put on our practice squad and you could see him throughout the whole year working to get his legs back and to get back in receiver shape and be able to handle the cuts after his injuries. I think the way he finished last year was really positive. He put the work in this offseason and I think he’s back to being a really good NFL player now and fighting to make this team.”
Gage became a focal point of the Atlanta Falcons’ offense after bursting on the scene during his sophomore NFL season, logging 138 receptions, 1,556 yards and eight touchdowns from 2020 to 2021.
His success in Atlanta led to Tampa Bay signing Gage to a three-year, $30 million contract, with the veteran receiver putting up solid numbers in 2022 before the knee injury derailed his tenure with the Buccaneers.
Offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak recently echoed high praise for Gage while meeting with reporters last week.
“First of all, he’s a pro,” Kubiak said of Gage. “He’s been around, and you can tell with the way he prepares, the way he works, the way he gets his body ready to practice every day.
“He’s a guy who’s taken a big step from OTAs. In OTAs, he was learning. You might be a hair slower when you’re still trying to figure it all out. You can tell he’s really putting in the work in the classroom with the mental part of it, and it’s made his play faster.”
After signing Gage to a practice squad spot last November, the 29-year-old receiver has a chance to complete a storybook comeback for one of the NFL’s most prestigious franchises.
With a clear path to reps, if Gage continues his strong preseason it appears Shanahan will feel confident entering the season with the sixth-year wideout being an important part of the 49ers’ plans on offense.
Gage scored a touchdown in his only NFL appearance at Levi’s Stadium, which coincidentally was Brock Purdy’s first career start back in 2022. Three years later, Gage now has an opportunity to catch balls from Purdy in the same end zone.
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