The former first-round pick has had a whirlwind of rumors regarding his status with the team as of late, but head coach Zac Taylor put them to rest on Thursday.
After it was reported on Tuesday that former first-round pick John Ross was being shopped by the Cincinnati Bengals, the team came out on Thursday to deliver a loud and clear message: they are sticking beside him.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported on Tuesday that both the team and Ross desired a fresh start, however Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin refuted that rumor on Wednesday, saying “That’s from the ‘ready, fire, aim’ school of journalism”.
Taylor seemed to reaffirm the organization’s commitment to Ross, saying that he was excited to work with him as well as saying “he’s got a very bright future with us“.
It was shocking, to say the least, to hear that Cincinnati was shopping Ross. While he has certainly not lived up to a first round pick’s expected level of production, he is also far and away the third best receiver on the Bengals roster. Dealing Ross would not likely net much in return, as not many teams would rush to embrace a four million dollar contract for a player who has racked up just 210 yards in two seasons. Given the likely meager return on dealing Ross, and the obvious lack of depth at the wide receiver position beyond him, it would make no sense for Cincinnati to deal him unless they found a truly desperate team looking for a reclamation project.
Ross also deserves a chance to be coached by an offensive mind like Taylor’s. Taylor worked with the wide receivers in Los Angeles in 2017, overseeing the development of guys like Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp, where he was able to find value in players that had been overlooked by other franchises.
While Bengals fans, coaches, and management will certainly hope for more out of Ross in his 2019 campaign, they would be wise to keep him with the team and give him a chance to learn from somebody who actually understands the offensive side of the football. If Ross can learn the tricks of the trade for the wide receiver position in the NFL, he can be a valuable weapon for the Bengals moving forward.
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