John Ross Signs Rookie Contract with Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals came to terms with first-round pick John Ross on a rookie-scale contract Sunday.The Bengals took the former Washington wide receiver with the No. 9 overall selection in the 2017 NFL draft.While the pick raised some eyebrows, Ross has the ability to take the top off the defense after breaking the NFL Scouting Combine record with a 40-yard dash of 4.22 seconds.Ross also posted an excellent junior season with the Huskies in 2016, registering 81 receptions for 1,150 yards and 17 touchdowns in helping them reach the College Football Playoff for the first time.Despite that, there were questions regarding his durability as he missed the entire 2015 campaign with a knee injury.Although the concerns linger, Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis likes what the speedy Ross can potentially bring to the table, according to ESPN.com's Katherine Terrell:"A guy with his speed and ability to make the play over the top really creates an issue defending."The Bengals already have a stud No. 1 wideout in A.J. Green, but they have struggled to find an ideal compliment on the outside.Brandon LaFell and Tyler Boyd showed flashes last season, and while they will continue to be an important part of the offense in 2017, the door is open for Ross to ascend to a starting spot immediately.Green is a big, athletic receiver who excels at outleaping opposing defensive backs, which almost makes double-covering him a necessity.That means Ross could face lots of single coverage as a rookie, and he undoubtedly has the explosiveness needed to take advantage of it.Provided Ross brings the same qualities to the table he did last season at Washington, the Bengals have a legitimate chance to return to the playoffs in 2017 after a year out of the mix.
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