The New York Giants added to their wide receiver depth on Tuesday when they came to agreement with free agent wide receiver John Ross.
Ross, a speedster out of the University of Washington, was the ninth overall selection in the 2017 NFL draft and posted a 40 time of 4.22 at the NFL Combine that year.
His NFL career has not been as successful. Ross has never been able to stay on the field very long due to a combination of injury and inconsistency. In his four seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, Ross appeared in just 27 games, starting 20. He had just 51 receptions for 733 yards and 10 touchdowns.
This signing by the Giants seems like another low-level try to catch lightning in a bottle. They’ve done this in recent years with receivers such as Corey Coleman and Dante Pettis (who is still with the team) in hopes the light will go on for them.
It is hard to determine what Ross can bring to the table for the Giants. Last season, he was benched after a dropped pass. There was some discussion among the Bengals’ staff on trying to convert him to cornerback. Ross tweeted that he had requested a trade and was placed on IR with a foot injury shortly after.
The Giants currently have Sterling Shepard, Darius Slayton, C.J. Board and Austin Mack in their wide receiver room and are likely to use one of their six picks in the draft on another. This draft is loaded with wide receiver talent, so the signing of Ross should not be seen as a defining roster move at wideout.
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