Could the New England Patriots be a good landing spot for a John Ross trade?
After three years with the Cincinnati Bengals, speedy wide receiver John Ross has requested a trade before the Nov. 3 NFL Trade Deadline.
One team that could be interested? The New England Patriots.
According to NFL Network reporter Mike Garafolo, Ross is frustrated with his role with the Bengals and has recently approached the organization about trading him to get a fresh start in his still-young NFL career.
From @gmfb: #Bengals WR John Ross approached the team about a trade recently. The speedster, in the last year of his rookie deal, hasn't been playing much of late and wants a fresh start if that's going to continue being the case. pic.twitter.com/0LbfY9ODb4
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) October 20, 2020
After breaking into the league out of Washington in 2017 as a No. 9 pick by Cincinnati in the 2017 NFL Draft, the 25-year-old has spent his entire career with the Bengals to this point.
In 2019, his third season in the league, Ross recorded his career-best year with the Bengals even though he played in just eight games. During that eight-game span, Ross hauled in career-highs of 28 receptions and 506 yards, adding three touchdowns through the air with an average of 18.1 yards per catch.
In 2020 so far, Ross has played in just three games while starting in one of those games in Cincinnati, which has been led in the receiving room by Tyler Boyd, Tee Higgins and A.J. Green.
In three contests, Ross has recorded just two catches on seven targets for 17 yards and no touchdowns. Had been inactive the previous three weeks before returning to the field in Week 6 against the Indianapolis Colts, only to play in one snap on offense.
Garafolo added that Ross’ agent said the wide receiver is “frustrated with his lack of playing time” in Cincinnati, which is likely mainly the reason he wants out of the organization.
With Ross likely on the way out of Cincinnati, could the Patriots look at adding the young receiver on the last year of his rookie contract to see what else he might have left to prove? It could be a possibility Bill Belichick and company looks at.
John Ross could be a big help to the New England Patriots passing game.
New England, which is now led by Cam Newton under center, could use some help on the outside of the field and within the wide receiving unit. Which could mean Belichick will continue to look at the trade market to grab a player for an affordable price like Ross.
As a team, the Patriots enter Week 7 against the San Francisco 49ers with the second-lowest amount of receptions in the NFL. New England has tallied just 101 receptions, behind only the Denver Broncos with 95. The Patriots also have hauled in just 1,099 yards through the air, which is the worst in the league.
The addition of Ross could help lift up a New England receiving group that desperately needs help in the pass attack to continue to balance out the offense and help the run-reliant group on that end of the field.
If Ross could come in and help the receivers in Foxborough, he could potentially help the Patriots who rank 25th in the NFL in total yards gained on offense.
Ross is also a nice red zone target, as about 20 percent of his catches over his career have been touchdown receptions. New England currently ranks 24th in the NFL in red zone efficiency, so that is an area it needs help in as well.
As we’ve seen in the past, Belichick has been interested in acquiring players who look to be fizzling out in their careers while giving them one more opportunity to showcase what they can do in the NFL.
Ross could be the latest example of that if New England would be interested in trading for him before the Nov. 3 Trade Deadline to help out Julian Edelman, N’Keal Harry and the rest of the Patriots offense.