Three short years ago, John Ross was thought of as one of the most exciting wide receiver prospects in football. Leading up to the draft, the 5’11” speedster blazed a remarkable 4.22 at the Combine in Indy, the fastest 40-yard time in the event’s history. Ross was later chosen by the Bengals, going as the ninth overall pick and second receiver drafted in 2017.
Fast forward to 2020 and Ross, now a forgotten man in Cincinnati (much of his season has been spent as a healthy scratch), is looking for a change of scenery. The University of Washington alum has shown flashes—he tied for the team lead with seven touchdowns in 2018—but not enough of them to secure his roster spot beyond this season (declining his fifth-year option was a no-brainer for the Bengals).
Ross claims to be healthy, a rarity for him throughout his Cincy tenure, but with A.J. Green (also in the final year of his contract), newcomer Tee Higgins and slot receiver Tyler Boyd entrenched as the Bengals’ starting receiver trio, there’s simply no room at the inn. Frustrated with his depth-chart position, the underachieving 24-year-old has gone public with his trade demands, explaining his desire to be moved at the upcoming November 3rd deadline.
In a draft that included, among other wide receivers, JuJu Smith-Schuster (62nd overall) Cooper Kupp (69th), Chris Godwin (84th) and Kenny Golladay (96th), the Bengals thought Ross was the one. Now he can’t even get on the field.
It’s hard to say if Ross would benefit from a fresh start—4.2 speed doesn’t grow on trees—though the Bengals probably wouldn’t get much for him right now, especially considering he’d only be a two-month rental ahead of next year’s free agency. Ross, the recipient of 10 career touchdowns, hasn’t caught a pass since the Bengals’ opening-week loss to the Chargers on September 13th.
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