The Kansas City Chiefs have had pads on during training camp for exactly one week, and it appears that one receiver has become much more consistent during that period: third-year wideout Justyn Ross.
“Justyn Ross is coming on, guys,” Arrowhead Pride’s Pete Sweeney wrote while attending practice on Friday, August 2. Several videos surfaced on social media on Friday of Ross dominating during the team red zone period.
Ross’s efforts on Friday came a day after he had one of his best practices of the year, per Charles Goldman of A to Z Sports.
“While WRs Nikko Remigio and Montrell Washington have had their moments since I’ve been up to training camp, Justyn Ross had perhaps his best day of the year,” Goldman wrote of the 24-year-old on August 1. “Several media members noted that he had a strong day as practice wrapped.
“Ross caught everything thrown his way during the course of practice, except for one pass by my count, which I noted was poorly thrown. This grab on 7-on-7 was pretty reminiscent of most of his day. He does a great job locating and catching the ball in contested and tight spaces.”
Justyn Ross: From Early College Standout to Undrafted
Ross, who stands at 6-foot-4 and weighs 204 pounds, was a playmaker during his first two seasons at Clemson. During the 2018 and 2019 seasons, he accumulated 1,865 receiving yards on 112 catches — 16.6 yards per catch — and 17 touchdowns, according to Sports Reference.
In the spring of 2020, Ross was diagnosed with a congenital fusion in his spine, and doctors told him he would never play football again, per Adam Teicher of ESPN. The Clemson wideout underwent surgery as a result and sat out the 2020 season.
During the 2021 season — which was Ross’s final year of collegiate football — Ross returned to action and caught 46 passes for 514 yards and 3 touchdowns. However, a stress fracture in his foot impacted his play the entire season.
With injuries plaguing him for the backend of his time at Clemson, Ross’s draft stock plummeted in 2022. Instead of being one of the top prospects in the draft, he went undrafted. But the injuries weren’t enough to keep Ross out of the NFL entirely, which was evident when the Chiefs signed him and opted to keep him around despite Ross undergoing foot surgery during the summer of 2022, which sidelined him for the entirety of the 2022 season.
During the 2023 season, Ross played in 10 regular season games for the Chiefs and caught 6 receptions on 11 targets for 53 yards, per Pro Football Reference. He was also active for two postseason games — the AFC Divisional Round and the AFC Championship — but played just seven total snaps, 3 of which were on offense against the Baltimore Ravens in the AFCCG.
Justyn Ross Must Standout Among Loaded WR Room
If Ross wants to remain in Kansas City for a third straight season, he must continue to stand out, otherwise, he will quickly fade into the background of a deep wide receiver room.
The Chiefs addressed the top of their receiver depth chart this offseason by signing veteran Marquise “Hollywood” Brown and drafting Xavier Worthy in the first round of April’s draft. Adding them to a receiver room that already had Rashee Rice, Kadarius Toney, and Justin Watson with Skyy Moore, Nikko Remigio, and Montrell Washington battling for the remaining spots on the depth chart means Ross’s chances of making the regular season roster or practice squad are slimmer than they have been the last two seasons.
But if Ross continues to be a physical presence who can consistently come down with contested catches, there will be a spot for him on Kansas City’s roster or practice squad.
Users on X — formerly Twitter — reacted to Ross stringing together strong training camp practices.
“Good! Want him on the roster 100%! You get him rolling like he can..Hollywood, rice, worthy, hardman, kelce… and Mahomes is the QB… Scary stuff for the rest the NFL,” one user wrote.
“I just want a big 6’4 target for Mahomes man I’m praying he shines but only time and the field will tell,” another user wrote.
