Getty John Ross III, Formerly of the Cincinnati Bengals.
Entering the season, the New York Giants boasted the league’s fastest 11 personnel (1 RB, 1 TE, 3 WR) in football, according to Move The Sticks host and NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah. However, with Saquon Barkley done for the season, Sterling Shepard on the mend, Golden Tate looking like a shell of himself and Corey Coleman on the streets, that ranking couldn’t be any further from the truth.
On top of lacking speed at their skill positions, Big Blue is extremely thin at wide receiver, as injuries have ravaged the position, leaving UDFA Austin Mack as the only healthy wideout aside from Tate heading into Week 7.
Well, how about taking a swing on a disgruntled wideout out of Cincinnati; one who is not just fast, but the fastest player in all of football (per his 4.22 official 40-yard dash combine time).
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Should Giants Make a Play for John Ross?
Dan Schneier of CBS Sports certainly doesn’t see why not, as he’s admittedly “intrigued” by the idea of acquiring burner John Ross from the Bengals. With NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reporting on Tuesday that the former No. 9 overall draft pick has requested a trade, Schneier believes it’s time to put quarterback Daniel Jones’ needs first.
“John Ross wants out and I doubt Bengals will want much,” Schneier tweeted. “If (and it should be) your No. 1 goal is to best develop Daniel Jones, why not take a swing?”
Schneier also noted the obvious, that relying so heavily on a receiving corps consisting of the likes of Golden Tate, Austin Mack and C.J. Board is simply “limiting” the offense’s ceiling.
North Jersey Media Group’s Art Stapleton decided to chime in on Schneier’s take, pointing out that Ross’ limited contract duration (final year of his rookie deal), could vastly limit the return on investment on Ross.
“Last year of his contract,” Stapleton tweeted in response to Schneier. “By the time he learns this offense, it’s a half-season rental.”
Stapleton then went on to highlight an even bigger hurdle, the Giants’ lack of draft capital. New York currently owns just six picks in the 2021 NFL Draft and dealing for Ross would almost definitely strip the team of one or even two of those selections.
With that said, the argument could be had both ways. A more positive outlook would likely prefer gambling on a 24-year old, former top-10 pick, albeit an underperforming top-10 pick, rather than having an extra sixth or seventh-round pick at their disposal.
Big Blue is in Big Need of Big Plays
As you could likely predict by a quick glance at Daniel Jones’ underwhelming passing statistics this season or by simply tuning in to any of New York’s six games thus far, the Giants lack big-play ability.
The Giants offense has produced just 13 passing plays of 20-plus yards this season, tied for the fourth-fewest in the NFL. Furthermore, they are just one of seven teams this year to record less than two passing plays of 40-plus yards.
Would it be nice for Ross to emerge as the bonafide top-target the Bengals drafted him to be? Of course. Yet in reality, if Ross can simply be what Corey Coleman was supposed to be for the Giants this year, we should chalk that up as a win.