The Bengals will be back on the field Thursday night looking for their first points of the 2017 season and they’ll reportedly have some help on offense that they didn’t have in their 20-0 loss to the Ravens last Sunday.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that first-round pick John Ross is expected to play. Ross missed the Ravens game due to a knee injury suffered in the team’s final preseason game.
Ross also missed time this offseason after shoulder surgery and it may take some time before he’s ready to play a full-time role on the team’s offense as a result of his limited on-field work heading into the regular season. He made headlines by running the fastest recorded 40 in the history of the Scouting Combine this spring, so a role that calls for him to use his speed may be the likeliest starting point.
If that helps the Bengals find their way onto the scoreboard, it would be a big step toward making his debut a successful one.
