With John Ross, the New York Giants may have found a receiving talent that adds even more value to their already deep lineup at the position. While Ross was more or less considered a draft bust based on his first four seasons in the league after being taken in the top 10 by the Bengals, the wide receiver showed flashes of his old potential in week 4.
Ross finished the game with 77 receiving yards on 3 catches, and scored a notable touchdown after using his speed to burn the Saints defense on a deep route. While the play technically involved a fumble and a recovery in the end zone, that didn’t make a difference on the scoreboard as it counted as a touchdown nonetheless.
Plays like that are something we could see more of from Ross. When speaking to the press on Monday, Ross mentioned fellow receiver Kadarius Toney multiple times and believes the combination of two fast receivers can open doors for the Giants on offense.
John Ross talks on the benefits of speed
“I think that’s something that’s hard to coach against,” Ross said about the element of speed. “Once you utilize it, it’s something you have to really hone in on. I think what me and Kadarius can do opens up a lot of things.”
He also believes it can open up chances for other players, through forcing the defense to look deep.
“I think, there’s no secret that I’m fast, so I would expect when teams put out a scouting report, or whenever my name is called, the first thing they think of is speed. So, I expect to kind of get a softer coverage a lot of times and for guys to play deeper.”
Ross has the advantage of being just one part of a talented and still improving group of wide receivers.
The Giants have a number of players at that spot who, when they are playing well, should qualify as standout players to the opposing defense. The opposing defense can’t prioritize every receiving target, and having speedy players such as Ross further down the depth chart will help force opponents to ‘pick their poison.’
The 77 yard performance was also Ross’ season debut, after injury kept him out through the first three games of the season. It’s hard to say at this point, but the Giants may have found a player that can improve week-to-week as the injury moves further into the past and more experience is picked up in the current offense.