The fastest man in the NFL can’t show off his speed on the sidelines, and that’s where he’ll be today.
Bengals rookie receiver John Ross, whom Cincinnati selected with the ninth overall pick in this year’s draft in part because of his record-setting 4.22-second 40-yard dash at the Scouting Combine, is inactive today.
Ross isn’t hurt, the Bengals just don’t think he’s one of the 46 players who give them the best chance to win. And that’s a major disappointment for a Top 10 draft pick. So far this season Ross has touched the ball exactly once, and he lost a fumble on that one touch. That’s a huge disappointment now that his rookie season is half over.
Perhaps Ross can figure out how to use that elite speed and become a playmaker. But it’s taking a lot longer than the Bengals hoped.