Cincinnati Bengals: Takeaways from Week 16 loss to Browns
By Kenn Korb
John Ross Might Be A Wasted Pick
When John Ross was selected ninth overall in the 2017 NFL draft, he was expected to be the perfect partner to pair with A.J. Green. He set a record at the combine with his speed (4.22-second 40-yard dash at the combine), and that top-end speed allowed him to score 23 touchdowns in a measly 112 total touches in college. All signs pointed to him being the exact sort of player Cincinnati’s offense needed to threaten defenses at all levels at all times.
That all feels like a pipe dream right now, unfortunately. He barely factored at all as a rookie because of injury issues (a major worry he brought with him from college). This year, he’s been able to line up and contribute, but it has been nowhere near at the level a player selected as highly as he was should be contributing.
This year, Ross has been on the field for 553 snaps (just under 60 percent of the offense’s plays), but he has little to show in terms of his own stats. He’s caught only 20 of the 53 passes thrown his way this year, and barely picked up 200 yards across them (209). Despite six game with five-plus targets, he has just one outing where he’s gotten more than two receptions — and that was a three-catch, 16-yard effort against Carolina that is better remembered for him giving up on a route to make an interception possible.
Against Cleveland, his lack of even middling-level contributions was once again clear. While he did score a touchdown, it was his only catch on five targets, netted just three yards, and it happened in the late stages of what had been a game-long blowout.
We’re almost two seasons into his career, and Ross has done little to prove he is anything close to a player worthy of being selection in the top ten of a draft.