Veteran WR Will Try To Reboot Career With Eagles

Speedster John Ross is joining the Eagles after attending the team's rookie camp on a tryout basis.

Nov 28, 2021; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants wide receiver John Ross (12) signals first down against the Philadelphia Eagles during the first half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports / Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

PHILADELPHIA - The Eagles have a depth issue at wide receiver that was magnified when veteran DeVante Parker did a 180 after signing with Philadelphia in March.

Parker reversed course this week, instead deciding he wanted to spend more time with his family rather than pursuing a 10th year in the NFL.

Parker was officially played on the reserve/retired list Wednesday, and a day later the Eagles are affording an opportunity to John Ross to reboot his once-promising career as a backup to A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith.

The 5-foot-11, 194-pound Ross attended the Eagles’ recent rookie camp as a tryout player and when the need arose he got the first call.

The No. 9 overall pick by Cincinnati in the 2017 NFL Draft, Ross ran a record 4.22 40-yard draft at the combine that year, a record that stood until Kansas City first-round WR Xavier Worthy pulled off a 4.21 pre-draft this year.

Still just 28, Ross hasn’t appeared in an NFL game since 2021 when he had 11 receptions for 224 yards and a touchdown for the New York Giants. His career numbers are inauspicious, especially for his pedigree with 62 catches for 957 yards and 11 TDs over five seasons.

Injuries contributed to Ross' issues with the Bengals with his two best seasons coming in 2018 when the Washington product snared seven touchdown catches among his 21 receptions and then in 2019 when Ross produced 508 yards on just 28 receptions, averaging more than 18 yards per catch.

Last year Ross tried to make a comeback with the Chiefs but decided to retire before training camp.

The Eagles are very thin on paper when it comes to the depth behind their two star outside receivers: Brown and Smith.

That was magnified at voluntary OTAs on Wednesday when Smith skipped a session and the starting WRs with Brown in 11 personnel were Parris Campbell, who is more of a slot option,  and Joseph Ngata.

The most impressive outside-the-numbers among the fledgling players for Philadelphia during the OTA session was Jacob Harris, a 2021 fourth-round pick of the Los Angeles Rams, who has one career reception.

Also getting work was rookie sixth-round pick Johnny Wilson and futures signing Shaq Davis so adding depth was a necessity and the presence of Ross is likely not going to be the last domino on that front.

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