In a fresh spurt of team-building, the Philadelphia Eagles announced the acquisition of wide receiver John Ross, on a one-year contract following his April minicamp tryout. Ross, a speedster who retired last year, is staging a return to the gridiron after a brief pause in his career.
Selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft, Ross's career has been as much about his blistering pace as it has been about staying off the injury list. Despite stepping away from the league in 2023, the former tracker turned football enigma hasn't lost his ambitions to prove to easily recapture his past form and contribute to the Eagles' passing game.
Once boasting a record 4.22 seconds in the NFL Combine's 40-yard dash—recently bested by rookie Xavier Worthy—the wideout hasn't seen regular season play since his stint with the New York Giants in 2021. There, Ross managed 11 receptions for 224 yards over ten games, which are the kind of numbers the Eagles hope he can replicate or improve upon in Philadelphia. Earlier this week, the Eagles placed wide receiver DeVante Parker on the reserve/retired list, creating a void that Ross aims to fill.
Ross's career numbers are intriguing, if not consistently high-flying, with 62 receptions, 957 yards, and 11 touchdowns after playing with the Bengals, Giants, and a fleeting moment at the Kansas City Chiefs before announcing his initial retirement. According to a statement obtained by the Philadelphia Eagles, the team is enthusiastic about his ability "to make big plays" when healthy, a trait underlined by his career average of 15.4 yards per reception.
The Eagles' receiving corps, heralded by pros like A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, are now looking to possibly blend Ross's veteran savvy and matchless speed to bolster their offensive strategy. With Parker stepping away, there's a conspicuous gap to be strategically filled, and Philadelphia is betting that Ross can be more than just a speed merchant, but a reliable asset to quarterback Jalen Hurts and the Eagles' passing attack come fall.
