Giants 2022 free agency: WR John Ross

The New York Giants took a chance on wide receiver John Ross in 2021, giving the speedy but often unavailable former first-round pick a one-year, “prove it” contract.”

That really didn’t pay off the Giants. Should new GM Joe Schoen take another flier on Ross?

Details

Age: 27
Position: Wide receiver
2021 salary cap hit: $1.838 million

Making the case

The Giants got the full John Ross Experience in 2021. He excited them with his speed during training camp and made them dream about him returning kickoffs and becoming a big-play wide receiver.

Then, Ross did what Ross does. He got hurt. In four seasons after the Cincinnati Bengals made him the ninth overall pick, Ross played in only 27 of 64 possible games.

Ross started the 2021 season on IR with a hamstring injury and played in only 10 games. He missed the first three games with the hamstring, then the last four games of the season with another injury. He caught 11 passes, averaged a career-best 20.4 yards per catch and had a 51-yard touchdown.

One of the Giants’ biggest issues in 2020 was injuries at wide receiver. They simply could not consistently put the same group on playmakers around Daniel Jones. The most games played by any Giants wide receiver was 14 by Kenny Golladay.

Bringing Ross and his five-year track record (playing in 37 of 81 potential games) makes no sense. The Giants simply have to find players with a better chance of being available.