Patriots taking different approach with special teams players

New England Patriots coach Jerod Mayo is making an interesting personnel decision with safety Brenden Schooler and other special teams players on the roster.

Mayo has expressed that he wants to move away from having special teams-only players on the roster, via team reporter Zack Cox. That has led to Schooler taking more reps on the defense.

Schooler has made his mark as an extremely productive contributor on special teams. He was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team in 2022 for the unit.

Now, Mayo wants to see what he can do on the defensive side of the football this year.

It is worth noting that Schooler played safety at the collegiate level at Oregon.

He had a total of 143 tackles and four interceptions during his collegiate career. His versatility is evident, and it appears as though the Patriots are looking to maximize what he can do.