HEADLINES

John Ross

Parris Campbell In Lead For Eagles’ No. 3 WR Role?

June 8th, 2024 at 12:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

Parris Campbell‘s Giants tenure ended with a run of healthy scratches. Despite the struggling team not exactly sporting a deep receiving corps, Brian Daboll and Co. deemed the former second-round pick unworthy of a gameday gig in the final five games of the 2023 campaign.

That did not lead to extensive interest during Campbell’s second free agency foray. The former Colts draftee, however, has stayed healthy over the past two seasons — after a litany of injuries hounded him for most of his Indianapolis tenure — and has a history with his new coach. The Colts drafted Campbell during Nick Sirianni‘s time as OC, and the two overlapped for two years in Indy. Campbell, 26, now appears to have a real shot at going from Giants scratch to Eagles regular.

Unable to rely on their slot position for a bit now, the Eagles took a flier on Campbell (one year, $1.29MM). Philly’s offseason program has wrapped, but after this week’s minicamp, Campbell appears to be in the lead to play alongside A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. The veteran slot receiver received the bulk of the first-team reps in the WR3 role this week, per 94WIP.com’s Eliot Shorr-Parks, who called this competition — ahead of training camp, at least — Campbell’s to lose.

The Eagles helped set the receiver market this offseason, authorizing extensions for Smith and Brown in April. With wideouts tied to $32MM- and $25MM-per-year deals and several big payments in place on offense, money is obviously limited elsewhere at wide receiver. The Eagles did use fifth- and sixth-round draft choices on wideouts (Johnny Wilson, Ainias Smith) this year, and they offered an offseason roster spot to former top-10 pick John Ross, who has unretired to join the team. Campbell’s profile features inconsistency, but he brings more experience as a regular than anyone else vying for the Brown-Smith sidekick role.

The former Ohio State standout flashed for the Colts during Sirianni’s time in Indianapolis, but he also missed 25 games due to various injuries from 2019-21. During a chaotic 2022 Colts season, Campbell quietly stayed healthy and totaled 63 receptions for 623 yards and three touchdowns. This came for a 4-13 team that started three quarterbacks and used two play-callers. The Giants did not see much from Campbell, though they also slogged through a three-QB season. Campbell caught just 20 passes for 104 yards, underwhelming on a one-year, $4.7MM deal.

Before the 6-foot-1 target’s Giants season ended, he understandably expressed a desire for a fresh start. The Eagles, who bring more QB stability than Campbell has seen over the course of his career, are providing it.

Working with Andrew Luck only during the offseason before the standout passer’s abrupt retirement, Campbell has never played with the same starting QB in consecutive seasons. It will be interesting to see if the Eagles see enough from him this season to consider a longer-term role for him in their Jalen Hurts-led offense. Quez Watkins‘ production trended downward after a 647-yard 2021, and the team’s Julio Jones and Olamide Zaccheaus contracts last year did not lead to much of consequence from the WR3 spot.

Ross also saw extensive time during Philly’s minicamp, per the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff Neiburg, while return man Britain Covey remains in the picture. Ross, 27, has not seen any game action since 2021. The former Combine 40-yard dash record holder (4.22 seconds) seizing a roster spot would surprise, given his NFL offerings, but his preseason work will be worth monitoring as the Eagles attempt to improve in a passing attack that will still run through Brown, Smith and Dallas Goedert.

Eagles WR John Ross Addresses 2023 Retirement Decision

May 31st, 2024 at 3:59pm CST by Adam La Rose

John Ross retired less than one year ago, but his comeback attempt resulted in an Eagles deal last week. The former top-10 pick recently spoke about the regret he felt following his decision to hang up his cleats.

Ross admitted he immediately considered the retirement call a mistake when speaking to the media as Philadelphia’s newest receiver. Veteran DeVante Parker decided to end his career, a move which opened up a roster spot for Ross. The latter worked out for the Eagles before signing to their offseason roster.

“You look at it like this,” Ross said (via Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia). “In my situation, I was a top-10 draft pick and we all talk about it all the time. ‘If we ever get to the point where we have to try out, then we’ll be done.’ But then you get to that point and you don’t have no other choice. When I go the opportunity, I was probably the happiest person on Earth.”

In many cases, veterans who land deals last in the offseason are unable to survive roster cutdowns at the end of the summer. Ross will face a steep challenge in Philadelphia to carve out an offense role considering the team’s wide receiver depth chart. A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith (both of whom are attached to new, lucrative deals) are set to remain focal points of the Eagles’ passing game for 2024 and many years beyond that.

Ross – whose draft stock was boosted by a then-record in the 40-yard dash – struggled to establish himself as a consistent option on offense with the Bengals from 2017-20. Injuries kept him sidelined for stretches during that time, and he managed just 11 catches with the Giants in 2021. The 28-year-old did not play the following year, so his retirement decision appeared to mark an underwhelming end to his career. If he can catch on with the Eagles in 2024, though, he will have the opportunity to continue in the NFL.

Eagles Sign WR John Ross

May 23rd, 2024 at 12:02pm CST by Adam La Rose

John Ross took part in the Eagles’ rookie minicamp, and his performance has earned him an extended look. The veteran receiver signed with Philadelphia on Thursday, per a team announcement.

Ross retired last summer, but he attempted a comeback in November. Without having found playing time at the end of the 2023 campaign, he has not played a regular season game since 2021. The 28-year-old will attempt to carve out a roster spot with the Eagles as they sort out the back of their WR depth chart.

Philadelphia is set in terms of starting spots with A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. Both wideouts signed lucrative new deals this offseason, and they will be counted on to remain the focal points of the team’s passing game in 2024 and beyond. The Eagles lost Quez Watkins and Olamide Zaccheaus in free agency, which required the addition of new secondary contributors.

One of those is Parris Campbell, who inked a one-year deal in March. The former Colt had an underwhelming single campaign with the Giants last year, and he will spend the offseason trying to lock down a role in the Eagles’ offense. The same was presumed to be true of DeVante Parker, but he announced his retirement earlier this week.

Ross will now attempt to take advantage of the opportunity created by Parker’s absence. The former is best remembered for his 4.22-second 40-yard dash at the 2017 Combine. That performance led to Ross hearing his name called ninth overall, but he struggled during his four-year tenure with the Bengals. The Washington product played a single season as a Giant after his rookie contract expired, but that effort likewise did not yield notable production. To little surprise, Ross has been unable to find a permanent home since.

This agreement will no doubt represent nothing more than a one-year flier on the part of the Eagles. If he performs during the summer and can remain healthy, Ross could provide the team with a deep threat at the receiver spot. If not, Philadelphia will again need to turn elsewhere for depth options ahead of the start of the season.

Eagles To Host WR John Ross

April 28th, 2024 at 12:43pm CST by Rory Parks

The Eagles will host wide receiver John Ross during the team’s rookie camp this week, as Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network reports. Ross signed a reserve/futures deal with the Chiefs in January 2023 before announcing his retirement in July. A few months later, he had a change of heart, as Kansas City released him from the reserve/retired list so he could resume his playing career.

Ross, who is still just 28, was selected by the Bengals with the No. 9 overall pick of the 2017 draft. His athletic gifts were too tempting for the club to pass up, as the Washington product put up a 4.22-second 40-yard dash at the 2017 scouting combine, a record that held until Xavier Worthy — who was just selected by the Chiefs in the first round of the 2024 draft — broke it this year.

Of course, Ross never had much of an opportunity to put his speed to good use at the professional level, as injuries limited him to just 27 games over his four seasons in Cincinnati. He did show occasional flashes of promise, including a 2019 campaign in which he caught 28 balls for 506 yards, good for a whopping 18.1 yards-per-reception rate. His ability to produce those numbers in just eight games showed what he could do when he was healthy, but on the flip side, the fact that he was limited to eight games that year is indicative of how hard it was for him to stay on the field.

Following a 2020 season in which he was limited to only three games thanks in part to a foot injury, Ross hit free agency. He ended up catching on with the Giants on a one-year deal, catching 11 passes in 10 games for his new squad. He did not get into a game during the 2022 season, and he eventually signed the above-referenced futures contract with the Chiefs.

Obviously, an injury-plagued player who last played in an NFL game in January 2021 is a long shot to make any roster, and the Eagles boast two of the best (and wealthiest) wideouts in the game in A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. Behind that duo, however, the situation is a little more unsettled. Philadelphia added Parris Campbell in free agency this offseason, but he has hardly been a model of health in his career, and he failed to carve out much of a role for a receiver-needy Giants outfit in 2023.

The Eagles also signed DeVante Parker after he was released by the Patriots in March, and they added Johnny Wilson and Ainias Smith on Day 3 of this year’s draft. So while there is plenty of competition in the club’s WR room, there does appear to be an opportunity for Ross to sneak onto the 53-man roster if he impresses the coaching staff enough to earn a contract and if he can stay healthy. At this point, those are two very big “ifs.”

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/27/23

November 27th, 2023 at 6:38pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Monday’s minor moves:

Chicago Bears

Green Bay Packers

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

  • Waived from reserve/retired list: WR John Ross

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

San Francisco 49ers

Ross signed a reserve/futures deal with the Chiefs in January but retired before training camp. The Combine 40-yard dash record holder now intends to resume his career, according to NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo. Ross, who turned 28 today, has not played in a regular-season game since 2021 with the Giants.

A Raiders spring signee, Shelley did not make Las Vegas’ 53-man roster. The Rams picked him up before the season and have used him mostly on special teams. Shelley, who Bears and Vikings prior to this two-team 2023, has logged 76 defensive snaps this season. But the veteran cornerback has been on the field for 65% of Los Angeles’ special teams plays.

WR John Ross Retires

July 26th, 2023 at 9:28pm CST by Adam La Rose

John Ross delivered a memorable performance at the Combine, but his pro career is coming to an end after an inability to translate his skillset to the NFL. The former top-1o was placed on the reserved/retired list by the Chiefs on Wednesday, per the wire.

The 27-year-old entered the league with substantial expectations after he ran a record-setting 4.22 second 40-yard dash at the Combine in 2017. His speed helped make him the ninth overall selection in that year’s draft, with the Bengals selecting him ahead of a group of other prospects headlined by Patrick Mahomes. Ross was the third and final receiver taken in that year’s first round (behind Corey Davis and Mike Williams).

Ross battled injuries through much of his Cincinnati tenure, and he played only 27 games with the Bengals. The Washington alum’s best season came in 2019, when he recorded 506 yards and three touchdowns despite only getting into eight games. The rest of his Bengals stint saw him haul in only 23 catches for 227 yards in 19 games across three campaigns, although he did score a career-high seven touchdowns in 2018.

Following a 2020 season where he was limited to only three games thanks in part to a foot injury, Ross hit free agency. He ended up catching on with the Giants on a one-year deal, catching 11 passes in 10 games for his new squad.

After not getting into a game during the 2022 season, Ross signed a futures contract with the Chiefs back in January. He was set to compete for a roster spot before his sudden decision to retire.

Ben Levine contributed to this post.

Chiefs Sign WR John Ross To Reserve Deal

January 9th, 2023 at 4:59pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Chiefs have shown a penchant for adding low-floor, high-ceiling wideouts in recent years, and the team made a deal adding to that list on Monday. Kansas City has signed John Ross to a reserve/futures deal, per ESPN’s Field Yates (Twitter link).

Ross entered the league with plenty of hype, of course, given his demonstrated ability as a deep threat in college and speed showcased at the Draft Combine. That led to the Bengals selecting him ninth overall in 2017, but he struggled with injuries in Cincinnati and failed to establish himself as a consistent target when healthy. His best campaign came in 2019, when he recorded 506 yards and three touchdowns.

A logical change-of-scenery candidate, the Washington product spent the 2021 season with the Giants. There, he made 11 catches for 224 yards and one score. His 20.4 yards per reception average (albeit in a limited volume) showcased his potential value as a complementary piece in a vertical offense in particular. This past August, it was reported that Ross was generating interest on the open market, but a lingering knee injury likely hurt his value.

The Chiefs could represent the necessary environment for the 27-year-old find a long-term home, or at least one where he could compete for a roster spot in the offseason. Kansas City has not shied away in years past from taking fliers on the likes of Josh Gordon, Justyn Ross and, most recently, former Giants first-rounder Kadarius Toney to help their WR room. The unit saw plenty of turnover this past offseason, and JuJu Smith-Schuster Mecole Hardman are pending free agents. Ross could prove to be a low-risk, high-reward addition down the road for the AFC West champions.

NFL Workouts: Ross, Austin, Butler

October 19th, 2022 at 8:35pm CST by Ely Allen

Despite adding star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins back to the active roster and acquiring former Panthers wide out Robbie Anderson for a pair of draft picks, the Cardinals worked out another receiver yesterday in John Ross, according to Field Yates of ESPN. While many viewed Anderson as a replacement for the lost production of draft day acquisition Marquise Brown, who faces a potential multi-week absence, the speedy Ross would be a better match, in terms of skill set, to team up with diminutive wide outs Rondale Moore and Greg Dortch to replace Brown’s ability.

A former top ten draft pick for the Bengals in 2017, Ross is widely considered not to have lived up to his draft stock. After missing the majority of his rookie season with knee and shoulder issues, Ross was still able to salvage some bright spots in his second and third seasons, reaching career highs for touchdowns with seven in 2018 and receiving yards with 506 in 2019. Despite showing some promise, injuries continued to drag the young wide out down. Over the final two years of his contract, Ross missed 21 games, leading him towards free agency. He signed with the Giants last year and appeared in 10 games, catching 11 passes for 224 yards and a touchdown.

Here are a couple of other workouts reported around the league, starting with Brown’s former home in Baltimore:

  • After losing second-year wide receiver Rashod Bateman to injury for the past two weeks, the Ravens were looking to add some receiving depth recently, as well. This desire resulted in the practice squad addition of veteran DeSean Jackson, but, according to Yates, Baltimore auditioned another veteran wide out in Tavon Austin. The former long-time Ram has spent the last four seasons since leaving Los Angeles with three other teams. Austin has seen quite a down-sized role since his heyday as a starter with the Rams, but showed a big-play ability in Dallas, averaging 15.1 yards per reception as a Cowboy three seasons ago. With Jackson now on the practice squad, Austin will likely have to keep searching for his fifth NFL squad.
  • The Seahawks worked out a former first round pick in defensive tackle Vernon Butler yesterday, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Butler waited until the final year of his rookie contract with the Panthers to play up to his draft stock, racking up 6.0 sacks, 7.0 tackles for loss, 32 tackles, and three forced fumbles, which all still stand as career highs by quite a bit. Butler signed a two-year contract with the Bills after leaving Carolina but failed to match the production from his best year with the Panthers. He’s available after failing to make the Raiders’ final 53-man roster and looks to add some depth to a minorly banged up Seahawks defensive line.

FA WR John Ross Generating Interest

August 7th, 2022 at 11:55am CST by Rory Parks

It sounds as if free agent wide receiver John Ross will find a new employer soon. The No. 9 overall pick of the Bengals in the 2017 draft, Ross spent the 2021 campaign with the Giants and is still recovering from a knee injury that he sustained towards the end of the season.

As such, Ross will begin meeting with teams around the start of the regular season next month, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (via Twitter). He is expected to be fully healthy by that time, and a number of teams have remained in “consistent contact” with the Washington product.

Injuries have been the prevailing theme of Ross’ career. He possesses blinding speed, but due to various ailments and his inability to impress then-head coach Marvin Lewis, Ross played in just one game in his rookie year in Cincinnati. Though he started 10 games in 2018, he managed only 21 catches for 210 yards, and after a hot start to 2019, he missed another eight games due to injury.

The Bengals made the easy call to decline Ross’ fifth-year option in May 2020, and in his final season in the Queen City, Ross was a healthy scratch for a number of games and requested a trade as a result of his diminished role. Cincy could not find any takers, and Ross eventually landed on IR with a foot injury.

He signed with the Giants in March 2021, and he once again missed time for health reasons. A hamstring malady kept him out of the first few games of the season, and the above-mentioned knee trouble sidelined him towards the end of the year. Still, clubs apparently remain tantalized by his speed and big-play ability, which will buy the 26-year-old another opportunity.

Ross has indeed shown flashes of his potential. In 2019, he caught 28 balls for 506 yards — good for a 18.1 yards-per-reception rate — and in his first and only season with Big Blue, he tallied 11 catches for 224 yards, which represents a career-best 20.4 YPR average. His 43.4% career catch percentage is quite low, but that is largely a function of the routes he is asked to run. If he can ever stay healthy for a full season, his abilities as a bonafide home run threat would be a welcome addition to any number of WR rooms.

Although Fowler did not specify which clubs have expressed interest, the Colts, Cowboys, Packers, and Ravens are just a few of the teams that could still use receiving help.

NFL COVID-19 List Updates: 12/29/21

December 29th, 2021 at 3:19pm CST by Sam Robinson

Several key players returned to practice Wednesday. Here are the latest COVID-19 updates from around the league:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

  • Activated from practice squad/COVID-19 list: WR Rico Bussey

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Football Team

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