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Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver John Ross is one of the fastest players in the NFL. He might be headed out of Cincinnati in a hurry on his way to a new team.
The former first-round draft pick has been relegated to backup duty for the Bengals in his fourth pro season. While he's been plagued by injuries in the past, Ross says he's healthy now. But there are rumors around the team that coaches question Ross' commitment to football.
For his part, Ross went to Twitter to express that he wants to be traded if the Cincinnati Bengals don't believe in him.
NFL Trade Rumors: John Ross has struggled with the Cincinnati Bengals
The NFL trade deadline is Tuesday, Nov. 3.
After Ross set a new scouting combine record with a 4.22-second time in the 40-yard dash, he was taken with the ninth overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. Over the last three-plus seasons he's shown flashes of the potential the Cincinnati Bengals saw in him, but he's mostly been plagued by injuries and not as productive as expected.
Ross' best season was in 2018, when he caught 28 passes for 506 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 18.1 yards per catch. His one shining moment was an early-season game at the Seattle Seahawks in 2019 -- in the same city where he starred at the University of Washington -- that saw him haul in seven passes for 158 yards and two touchdowns.
This season, even as the Cincinnati Bengals try to put weapons around rookie quarterback Joe Burrow, Ross hasn't been part of the plan. He only has two catches for 17 yards and has only played in two of the team's seven games. The Bengals are 1-5-1, last place in the AFC North.
The Cincinnati Bengals made a move earlier this week when they traded Pro Bowl defensive end Carlos Dunlap to the Seahawks. Dunlap was another veteran who had expressed frustration with the way he was being used.
The decision to trade Dunlap has been viewed as a sign that the Bengals are committed to second-year head coach Zac Taylor and will clear out players who don't buy into how he's coaching the team.
NFL Trade Rumors: Where could John Ross go next?
As far as Ross is concerned, there are some teams looking to acquire wide receivers before the trade deadline. But are the Bengals interested in trading him?
The New York Giants had talks with the Detroit Lions about trading for Detroit's Pro Bowl wideout Kenny Golladay, but that didn't turn into a deal. The Baltimore Ravens signed former Pro Bowl WR Dez Bryant to their practice squad recently and have been looking for an offensive spark this season. The Cleveland Browns are also rumored to be interested in bolstering its receiving corps after Odell Beckham Jr. went down with a season-ending knee injury.
