HOUSTON – Texans cornerback D’Angelo Ross is slated to start Sunday against the New England Patriots, his former team, Sunday at Gillette Stadium, according to league sources.
The Patriots are starting rookie quarterback Drake Maye in his NFL regular-season starting debut.
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Ross, 27, is the primary replacement against the Patriots for injured rookie cornerback Kamari Lassiter, a second-round draft pick who is sidelined for the New England game and likely for a few more games this month due to a painful shoulder injury that isn’t regarded as long-term, per sources.
Ross has mostly played on special teams, including 72 percent of the kicking game snaps last season and 74 percent this year with zero snaps on defense. Last season, he played eight defensive snaps and 13 games overall for the defending AFC South champions.
The Texans have several corners slated for reserve duty and special-teams, including Ka’dar Hollman, who was signed off the Baltimore Ravens’ practice squad, and Kris Boyd.
Ross signed a one-year contract worth $995,000 this offseason with a nonguaranteed base salary of $985,000 and a $10,000 signing bonus.
Ross was signed to the practice squad Aug. 28, and then promoted to the active roster on Sept. 18.
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Ross had eight tackles last year as one of the NFL’s top-ranked special teams units best contributors in kick coverage under special teams coordinator Frank Ross along with linebacker Neville Hewitt, who tied for the league lead in special teams tackles. He has played in four games this season and has recorded two tackles. He has played 74 percent of the special-teams snaps and zero snaps on defense.
Ross has 11 career tackles, including his previous three games and one start with the Patriots.
Ross played collegiately at New Mexico. The 5-foot-9, 190-pound California native has run the 40-yard dash in 4.32 seconds. As a senior, he recorded 57 tackles with one interception and one forced fumble.
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com.
