Who Should I Start? Russell Gage or Darius Slayton

Monday, August 26, 4:08 PM

The Baltimore Ravens are releasing wide receiver Russell Gage, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport. Gage missed all of last season with a torn patellar tendon that he suffered in training camp with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and he is now being let go by Baltimore after signing with the team earlier this month. Since being selected in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL Draft out of LSU, Gage has racked up 244 receptions for 2,491 yards and 14 touchdowns. He had big moments with the Atlanta Falcons and Buccaneers earlier in his career, but his major injury from last year could be affecting him in 2024. Either way, there's a chance another organization will give the veteran a shot as teams cut down to 53 players by Tuesday at 4 p.m. Eastern.

Wednesday, February 19, 7:59 PM

Wide receiver Darius Slayton is the New York Giants' top free agent this offseason, but ESPN New York's Jordan Raanan writes that Slayton isn't a candidate to be franchise-tagged with the number being well over $20 million in 2025. Raanan compares Slayton more to Darnell Mooney, who got $13 million per year in free agency last year. The 28-year-old has proven that he's not a No. 1 receiver type that would typically command a franchise tag, and the last time New York let him test the market, they ended up re-signing him on a two-year, $12 million deal after the 2022 season. In his sixth year with the G-Men in 2024, Slayton had just 39 catches on 71 targets for 573 yards (the second-lowest total of his career) and only two touchdowns in 16 games (13 starts). Given the Giants' uncertainty at the QB position, Slayton is probably better off going elsewhere in 2025.