FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - The New England Patriots announced today that the team has signed S Ross Ventrone to the 53-man roster from the practice squad. In addition, the Patriots announced that WR Tiquan Underwood has been released.
Ventrone, 25, has spent time on both the practice squad and 53-man roster this season, playing in four games. Ventrone, 5-8, 190 pounds, was originally signed by the Patriots as a rookie free agent out of Villanova on April 29, 2010. He spent the majority of his rookie season in 2010 on the New England practice squad.
Underwood, 24, is a veteran of two NFL seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars who signed with the Patriots on Aug. 29, 2011 after being released by Jacksonville. He was released by the Patriots on Sept. 3, 2011 and re-signed on Nov. 8, 2011. Underwood, 6-1, 183 pounds, originally entered the NFL as a seventh round draft choice (253rd overall) by Jacksonville in the 2009 NFL Draft out of Rutgers. After beginning his rookie season on the practice squad, he joined the 53-man roster and appeared in three games, mainly on special teams. Last season, he played in 10 games and caught eight passes for 111 yards and returned 24 kicks for 561 yards, including a career-long of 53 yards in the season-opener vs. Denver (9/12).
