The Houston Texans need every advantage they can muster coming off of a 4-12 finish in 2020 and a coaching change.
One area where the Texans sought a few more advantages is on special teams. In free agency, the Texans signed former Buffalo Bills receiver Andre Roberts to a two-year contract.
New special teams coach Frank Ross is looking forward to working with Roberts in the return game.
“Any player that’s at the return game you want to be able to attack aggressively,” Ross told reporters on a Zoom call on Tuesday. “I think just watching the course of his career, especially in the kickoff and punt return game that he’s had, even as a ball carrier on offense but especially in the return game, runs aggressively, attacks downhill, finishes runs as a returner. You just love to see that.”
Roberts has a career kickoff return average of 25.8 yards and a 9.0 yards per punt return average. The 31-year-old has scored three punt return touchdowns and two kickoff return touchdowns.
Coaching with the New England Patriots from 2015-17 and later with the Indianapolis Colts from 2018-20, Ross had opportunities to see Roberts when he played for Arizona (2010-13), Washington (2014-15), Detroit (2016), Atlanta (2017), the Jets (2018), and the Bills (2019-20).
“Playing against him multiple times in our past, he’s been a spot that, hey, this is an emphasis,” said Ross. “We have to cover this guy.”
Ross gets a chance to coach Roberts in Houston, and coach David Culley is hoping it pays big dividends for the Texans.