At this point of the season, it’s fair to say that Cincinnati Bengals rookie wide receiver John Ross has witnessed his first season in the NFL be a big letdown for both him and his team.

Selected ninth overall in this year’s draft by the Bengals, Cincy expected to see Ross becoming a key player downfield for the team, but they’ve seen the former Washington Huskies play in only three games in which he didn’t record any receiving yards while he rushed for 12 yards on just one carry.

He won’t be able to add any more to his totals, as he was put on the injured reserved list last week due to a left shoulder injury that is expected to be repaired via surgery.

According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, sources have told him that the Bengals flirted with the idea of using Ross as a cornerback, mainly because of his durability issues.

Ross’ ability to stay healthy has been a big question even before he was drafted by the Bengals, as he’s suffered a torn ACL and a couple of meniscus tears prior to being selected by Cincy in the draft.

John Ross was among the outstanding performers in the last NFL Combine, even recording the fastest time ever in the event’s 40-yard dash.

The receiver is expected to make a full recovery from his shoulder injury by the time the 2018 season begins, and by then, the Bengals should have a more concrete plan on how they’ll utilize the wideout.