Bengals’ Wideout John Ross Wants a Fresh Start, Asks for a Trade

John Ross with Bengals in 2019. Photo by Adam Lacy/CSM/Shutterstock

Cincinnati Bengals’ wide receiver John Ross has reportedly asked the team to trade him. According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, Ross is unhappy with his playing time this season and would like to get a fresh start somewhere else.

This doesn’t come as a surprise, considering that Bengals’ head coach Zac Taylor didn’t rely on Ross much this season. The 24-year-old wideout was made inactive in three games and was given only 86 snaps in total in 2020.

It is important to note that Ross is in the final year of his contract, which makes his lack of playing time even more of an issue. 

Agent Brad Cicala confirmed the news to Garafolo, saying that Ross already had a talk with the Bengals about the issue. While the two sides couldn’t find a resolution, the player is still hopeful to move on before the trade deadline that is less than two weeks away.

Bengals’ drafted John Ross ninth overall in the 2019 NFL Draft, hoping to have A.J. Green’s successor in Washington’s product. Unfortunately, Ross failed to live up to the expectations, with a combination of injuries and inconsistency hampering his pro career so far.

Ross played 27 games with Cincinnati, making 51 receptions for 733 yards and 10 touchdowns.